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BUSN INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
11
MARCE KELLY
Santa Monica College
CHUCK WILLIAMS
Butler University
Australia • Brazil • Mexico • Singapore • United Kingdom • United States
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Printed in the United States of America

Print Number: 01 Print Year: 2017
KELLY/WILLIAMS
BUSN 11 BRIEF CONTENTS
PA R T 1 T H E B U S I N E S S E N V I R O N M E N T
1 Business Now: Change Is the Only Constant 2
2 Economics: The Framework for Business 18
3 The World Marketplace: Business without Borders 38
4 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility: Doing Well by
Doing Good 58
5 Business Communication: Creating and Delivering Messages
that Matter 76
PA R T 2 C R E AT I N G A B U S I N E S S
6 Business Formation: Choosing the Form That Fits 92
7 Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Economic Rocket Fuel 112
PA R T 3 F IN A N C ING A B U S INE S S
8 Accounting: Decision Making by the Numbers 128
9 Finance: Acquiring and Using Funds to Maximize Value 148
10 Financial Markets: Allocating Financial Resources 170
PA R T 4 M A R K E T I N G A B U S I N E S S
11 Marketing: Building Profitable Customer Connections 190
12 Product and Promotion: Creating and Communicating Value 208
13 Distribution and Pricing: Right Product, Right Person, Right Place,
Right Price 236
PA R T 5 M A N A G I N G A B U S I N E S S
14 Management, Motivation, and Leadership: Bringing Business
to Life 252
15 Human Resource Management: Building a Top-Quality Workforce 270
16 Managing Information and Technology: Finding New Ways to Learn
and Link 286
17 Operations Management: Putting It All Together 306
Personal Finance Appendix 328

Endnotes 341
Glossary 362
Index 379
Tear-out cards
Online Appendices
Matelly/Getty Images
Appendix 1: Labor Unions and Collective Bargaining

Appendix 2: Business Law
Brief Contents iii
CONTENTS
3 The World Marketplace:

Letter to Students ix
Business without Borders 38

Part 1 3-1 An Unprecedented Opportunity 38
THE BUSINESS 3-2 Key Reasons for International Trade

3-3 Global Trade: Taking Measure 43
42
ENVIRONMENT 3-4 Seizing the Opportunity: Strategies for Reaching

Global Markets 44
3-5 Barriers to International Trade 47
3-6 Free Trade: The Movement Gains Momentum 51
4 Business Ethics and Social

Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock
Responsibility: Doing Well

by Doing Good 58
4-1 Ethics and Social Responsibility: A Close
Relationship 58
4-2 Business Ethics: Not an Oxymoron 60
1 Business Now: Change 4-3 Ethics: Multiple Touchpoints 61

4-4 Defining Social Responsibility: Making the World a
Is the Only Constant 2 Better Place 64
1-1 Business Now: Moving at Breakneck Speed 2 4-5 Ethics and Social Responsibility in the Global Arena:
1-2 The History of Business: Putting It All in Context 6 A House of Mirrors? 71
1-3 Nonprofits and the Economy: The Business of 4-6 Monitoring Ethics and Social Responsibility: Who Is
Doing Good 7 Minding the Store? 73
1-4 Factors of Production: The Basic Building Blocks 7
1-5 The Business Environment: The Context for Success 8 5 Business Communication:
1-6 Business and You: Making It Personal 16 Creating and Delivering
Messages that Matter 76
2 Economics: The Framework 5-1 Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible
Advantage 76
for Business 18
5-2 Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words 78
2-1 Economics: Navigating a Crisis 18
5-3 Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options 80
2-2 Managing the Economy Through Fiscal
and Monetary Policy 21 5-4 Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just
Plain Used?! 80
2-3 Capitalism: The Free Market System 26
5-5 Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through
2-4 Planned Economies: Socialism and Communism 30 the Clutter 84
2-5 Mixed Economies: The Story of the Future 31 5-6 Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations:
2-6 Evaluating Economic Performance: What’s Working? 33 Hook ’Em and Reel ’Em In! 87
iv Contents
Part 2 Part 3
CREATING A BUSINESS FINANCING A BUSINESS
Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock
Uber Images/Shutterstock
6 Business Formation: Choosing 8 Accounting: Decision Making
the Form That Fits 92 by the Numbers 128
6-1 Business Ownership Options: The Big Four 92 8-1 Accounting: Who Needs It—and Who Does It? 128
6-2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Sole 8-2 Financial Accounting: Intended for Those on the
Proprietorships 95 Outside Looking In 130
6-3 Partnerships: Two Heads (and Bankrolls) Can Be Better 8-3 Financial Statements: Read All About Us 132
Than One 96 8-4 Interpreting Financial Statements:
6-4 Corporations: The Advantages and Disadvantages Digging Beneath the Surface 138
of Being an Artificial Person 98 8-5 Budgeting: Planning for Accountability 141
6-5 The Limited Liability Company: The New Kid 8-6 Inside Intelligence: The Role of Managerial
on the Block 104 Accounting 143
6-6 Franchising: Proven Methods for a Price 106
7 Small Business and 9 Finance: Acquiring and Using

Funds to Maximize Value 148
Entrepreneurship: Economic 9-1 What Motivates Financial Decisions? 148
Rocket Fuel 112 9-2 Identifying Financial Needs: Evaluation
7-1 Launching a New Venture: What’s in It for Me? 112 and Planning 151
7-2 The Entrepreneur: A Distinctive Profile 114 9-3 Finding Funds: What Are the Options? 155
7-3 Finding the Money: Funding Options 9-4 Leverage and Capital Structure: How Much Debt Is
for Small Businesses 117 Too Much Debt? 159
7-4 Opportunities and Threats for Small Business: A Two- 9-5 Acquiring and Managing Current Assets 163
Sided Coin 119 9-6 Capital Budgeting: In It for the Long Haul 165
7-5 Launch Options: Reviewing the Pros and Cons 121
7-6 Small Business and the Economy: An Outsized
Impact 124
Contents v
10 Financial Markets: Allocating 11-3 Marketing Strategy: Where Are You Going, and How
Will You Get There? 195
Financial Resources 170 11-4 Customer Behavior: Decisions, Decisions,
Decisions! 201
10-1 The Role of Financial Markets and Their Key
Players 170 11-5 Marketing Research: So What Do They
Really Think? 202
10-2 Regulating Financial Markets to Protect Investors
and Improve Stability 173 11-6 Social Responsibility and Technology: A Major
Marketing Shift 205
10-3 Investing in Financial Securities: What Are the
Options? 176
10-4 Issuing and Trading Securities: The Primary
and Secondary Markets 180
12 Product and Promotion:
Creating and Communicating
10-5 Personal Investing 183
Value 208
10-6 Keeping Tabs on the Market 187
12-1 Product: It’s Probably More Than You Thought 208
12-2 Product Differentiation and Planning: A Meaningful
Difference 212
Part 4 12-3 Innovation and the Product Life Cycle: Nuts, Bolts, and
a Spark of Brilliance 216
MARKETING A BUSINESS 12-4 Promotion: Influencing Consumer Decisions 220
12-5 A Meaningful Message: Finding the Big Idea 221
12-6 The Promotional Mix: Communicating the
Big Idea 223
13 Distribution and Pricing: Right

Product, Right Person, Right
Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Place, Right Price 236

13-1 Distribution: Getting Your Product to Your
Customer 236
13-2 Wholesalers: Sorting Out the Options 239
13-3 Retailers: The Consumer Connection 240
11 Marketing: Building Profitable 13-4 Physical Distribution: Planes, Trains, and Much,
Much More 243
Customer Connections 190 13-5 Pricing Objectives and Strategies: A High-Stakes
11-1 Marketing: Getting Value by Giving Value 190 Game 245
11-2 The Customer: Front and Center 194 13-6 Pricing in Practice: A Real-World Approach 247
vi Contents
15-4 Human Resource Planning: Drawing
Part 5 the Map 274
15-5 Legal Issues: HR and the Long Arm
MANAGING A BUSINESS of the Law 283
16 Managing Information and

Technology: Finding New
Ways to Learn and Link 286
16-1 Information Technology: Explosive Change 286
Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

16-2 Cloud Computing: The Sky’s the Limit! 292
16-3 Information Technology and Decision Making:
A Crucial Aid 293
16-4 Information Technology and the World
of E-Commerce 295
16-5 Challenges and Concerns Arising from
New Technologies 299
14 Management, Motivation, 17 Operations Management:

and Leadership: Bringing Putting It All Together 306
Business to Life 252 17-1 Operations Management: Producing Value
in a Changing Environment 306
14-1 Bringing Resources to Life 252
17-2 What Do Operations Managers Do? 310
14-2 Motivation: Lighting the Fire 255
17-3 Implications of a Service-Based Economy:
14-3 Planning: Figuring Out Where to Go and How Responding to Different Challenges 316
to Get There 259
17-4 The Technology of Operations 317
14-4 Organizing: Fitting Together the Puzzle Pieces 263
17-5 Focus on Quality 319
14-5 Leadership: Directing and Inspiring 267
17-6 The Move to Be Lean and Green: Cutting Cost
14-6 Controlling: Making Sure It All Works 268 and Cutting Waste 323
15 Human Resource Personal Finance Appendix 328

Endnotes 341
Management: Building a
Top-Quality Workforce 270 Glossary 362
Index 379
15-1 Human Resource Management: Bringing Business
to Life 270 Tear-out cards
15-2 Human Resource Management Challenges: Major
Online Appendices
Hurdles 271 Appendix 1: Labor Unions and Collective
Bargaining
15-3 Human Resources Managers: Corporate Black
Sheep? 273 Appendix 2: Business Law
Contents vii
With love and
appreciation
to Kathy,
the best friend imaginable!
—Marce Kelly
To Jenny,
the book is done, let’s play!
—Chuck Williams
LETTER TO STUDENTS
The idea for this book—a whole new way of learning— part of the package. You can access a rich variety of study
began with students like you across the country. We paid tools via computer or iPad—the choice is yours.
attention to students who wanted to learn about business We did one other thing we hope you’ll like. We paid a
without slogging through endless pages of dry text. We lis- lot of attention to students’ concerns about the high price
tened to students who wanted to sit through class without of college textbooks. We made it our mission to ensure that
craving a triple espresso. We responded to students who our package not only meets your needs but does so with-
wanted to use their favorite gadgets to prepare for tests. out busting your budget!
So we are confident that BUSN will meet your needs. This innovative, student-focused package was devel-
The short, lively text covers all the key concepts without oped by the authors—Marce Kelly and Chuck Williams—
the fluff. The examples are relevant and engaging, and the and the experienced Cengage Learning publishers. The
visual style makes the book fun to read. But the text is only Cengage team contributed a deep understanding of stu-
dents and professors across the nation, and the authors
brought years of teaching and business experience.
Marce Kelly, who earned her MBA from UCLA’s Anderson
School of Management, spent the first 14 years of her ca-
reer in marketing, building brands for Neutrogena and
The Walt Disney Corporation. But her true love is teaching,
so in 2000 she accepted a full-time teaching p osition at
Santa Monica College. Professor Kelly has received seven
Outstanding Instructor awards from the International
Education Center and has been named four times to

Who’s Who Among American Teachers.
Chuck Williams’ interests include employee recruitment
and turnover, performance appraisal, and employee train-
ing and goal setting. Most recently, he was the Dean of
Butler University’s College of Business. He has taught in ex-
ecutive development programs at Oklahoma State Univer-
Marce Kelly sity, the University of Oklahoma, Texas Christian University,
and the University of the Pacific. Dr. Williams was honored
by TCU’s M.J. Neeley School of Business with the undergrad-
uate Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award, was a recipient
of TCU’s Dean’s Teaching Award, and was TCU’s nominee for
the U.S. Professor of the Year competition sponsored by the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. He
has written three other textbooks: Management, Effective
Management: A Multimedia Approach, and MGMT.
We would appreciate any comments or sugges-
tions you want to offer about this package. You can reach
© Brent Smith, Butler University
Chuck Williams at [email protected], and Marce Kelly

at [email protected]. We wish you a fun, positive,
productive term, and look forward to your feedback!
Chuck Williams
Letter to Students ix
1 Business Now:
Change Is the Only Constant
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter, you will be able to:
1-1 Define business and discuss the role of business in the economy
Remember to visit
Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com
1-2 Explain the evolution of modern business
1-3 Discuss the role of nonprofit organizations in the economy

PAGE 17
for additional
1-4 Outline the core factors of production and how they affect the economy
STUDY TOOLS
1-5 Describe today’s business environment and discuss each key dimension
1-6 Explain how current business trends might affect your career choices
1-1 BUSINESS NOW: MOVING AT BREAKNECK SPEED

Day by day, the business world simply spins faster. Industries rise—and
sometimes fall—in the course of a few short months. Technologies forge
instant connections across the globe. Powerful new trends surface and
submerge, sometimes within less than a year. In this fast-paced, fluid
environment, change is the only constant. According to Charles Darwin,
it is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to change. And so it is with business.
Successful firms lean forward and embrace the change. and consumers alike in today’s dynamic business environ-
They seek the opportunities and avoid the pitfalls. They ment. Digging deeper into current culture, several leading-
carefully evaluate risks. They completely understand their edge trendspotting experts have recently identified an
market, and they adhere to ethical practices. Their core goal: array of key trends likely to shape the world’s economies
to generate long-term profits by delivering unsurpassed as we close out the turbulent teenage years of the twenty-
value to their customers. first century. A few highlights:
value The relationship between Over the past decade, ■■ Instant Skills: Remember how the rise of Ins-
the price of a good or a service the explosive growth in so-
and the benefits that it offers its tagram made all of us into pseudo professional
cial media has played a piv- photographers? Well, Trendwatching.com pre-
customers.
otal new role for businesses dicts that hundreds of millions of status-hungry
2 PART ONE: The Business Environment
“T
You
he chief
miss 100%
business
of the
of the
shots you
“consumers will care less about what they have or American
don’t take.”
people is business”
buy and more about what they can do or create”—
— CWAYA L VNI NE GC OR EO TL ZI DKGY.E
seeking services that eliminate time and learning
A M E R I C AHNO CP KR E YS I SD TE AN RT
barriers to their creation of professional quality
output.
■■ Fun and Games: Research suggests that the aver-
age human attention span, currently only slightly of humor. For instance, Slack allows users to create
longer than that of a goldfish, is decreasing rapidly. custom emojis using colleagues’ faces and displays
Not surprisingly, capturing and retaining the atten- error messages such as, “We’ve seen this problem
tion of customers, employees, and investors is more clear up with a restart of your browser, a solution
challenging than ever. In spite of declining attention which we suggest to you now only with great regret
spans, creating a sense of fun is gaining momentum and self-loathing.”
as an effective tool for engaging audiences. It’s fairly ■■ Robolove: Everyone knows that robots can save
easy to understand why—wouldn’t you rather do time and money—and who doesn’t like efficiency?
something fun than something boring? Swedish But do we like the robots themselves? Many people
amusement park Liseberg recently released an app imagine a bleak robotic future with robocops out of
to accompany its new Helix roller coaster. Attendees control and robo-workers putting human workers
standing in line for the attraction could use the app to out of work. That may well happen, but Trendwatch-
play a free Helix-themed game, and every 15 minutes, ing.com predicts that many of us will thoroughly
the player with the highest score got a pass to skip enjoy our early contacts with robots. For instance,
the line. This strategy was not only creative, but it also Düsseldorf Airport in Germany recently unveiled the
increased visitors’ fun! Similarly, workplace messaging world’s first robotic parking valet. Customers leave
app Slack became one of the fastest growing business their car, and a robot picks it up and positions the
applications in history due, in part, to its playful sense vehicle in one of 249 dedicated spaces. The system
CHAPTER 1: Business Now: Change Is the Only Constant 3

connects to the airport’s flight database, meaning ■■ I will vote. Always.
that customers find their vehicle ready and waiting ■■ I will force myself to finally make a phone call.
for them upon their return. Hard to get more conve-
nient than that—and the robotic valet doesn’t even ■■ If my first-born is a boy, I promise not to name him
expect a tip!1 Uber.
Joking aside, millennials now represent both

■■ Virtual Experience Economy: the largest customer and the largest employee
Anyone who was nearly plowed segment of the population, which means that
over in 2016 by someone with his or successful businesses must take them seriously.
her head down—totally engrossed As baby boomers continue to retire in record
in the search for an elusive Pokemon numbers, businesses will soon begin to face a
(or maybe you were the one plowing severe leadership gap. Training and develop-
people down)—knows just how im- ing millennials to fill that gap will be a critical
mersive a virtual or augmented reality success factor for many businesses in the very
experience can be. Trendspotting near future.
experts at Trendwatching.com boldly ■■ Preparing for Generation Z: As the
project that “digital experiences will last millennials move through college
quickly come to carry a status- and enter the workforce, Genera-
weight equal to ‘real’ experiences, tion Z—comprised of people born
if not become more sought-after between 1996 and 2011—is rolling
and prized.” Take music concerts in right behind them. Generation Z,
for example. The holographic also known as the Digital Native genera-
“performance” of rapper Tupac’s tion, outnumbers millennials by one million
Shakur at the 2012 Coachella music people. In fact, more than a quarter of Amer-
festival (15 years after the artist’s death) ica’s population belongs to this generation.
garnered more headlines than any other Although it would be easy to characterize
concert that year. A holographic Michael Generation Z as an exaggerated version of
Jackson made similar waves two years later millennials, it wouldn’t do them justice—
at the 2014 Billboard Awards. China, an early they are fundamentally different. Mil-
developer and adopter of virtual reality lennials shaped the Internet, but digital
games and shopping programs, seems Kjpargeter/Shutterstock.com natives can’t remember a world without
poised to become a leading-edge player in it. The defining event of generation Z
the virtual experience economy.2 was the Great Recession, which means that many
of them don’t trust business. While their millennial
■■ Taking Millennials Seriously: The millennial counterparts were glad to be “walking billboards”
generation—comprised of people born between for trendy brands such as Hollister, Abercrombie &
1980 and 1995—likely includes many of the stu- Fitch, and Supreme, the most stylish digital natives
dents reading this text. Millennials have been at are likely to sport vintage clothing from thrift stores.
the butt end of a lot of jokes about their outsized Digital natives don’t feel entitled to a great job when
sense of entitlement, large number of meaningless they graduate college; they think they’ll be lucky
trophies, and “addiction” to their cell phones. The to get one. In the meantime, they are saving their
Los Angeles Times, for example, recently published a money, only spending when a business offers them
“Millennial Pledge” that it suggested all millennials value. Digital natives use their considerable techni-
affirm before they qualify for actual adulthood. A cal prowess to seek out the best possible values;
few excerpts: no-frills, only-pay-for-what-you-use businesses are
■■ Just once, I will try eating without texting. highly appealing to them. Similar to millennials,
digital natives tend to be extremely tolerant and
■■ I will not consider the cilantro on my taco to be a inclusive, with little understanding of or room in their
vegetable. lives for bigotry of any kind. They also tend to have
■■ Each year, I will pen at least one thank-you note very short attention spans (8 seconds on average),
using what’s left of my cursive writing skills. in part because they juggle their lives among an
O O P S! W H AT W E R E T H E Y T H I N K I N G ?
Not Every Dumb Move Is an Utter Disaster…
In the wake of disastrous mistakes and outrageous international airport. Fortunately, there were no collisions—
mismanagement across our economy, it might be the worst harm done was to Siri’s reputation as a navigator.4
tough to remember that some mistakes are actually pretty ▪▪ Geography lessons needed: In 2016, Coca-Cola sent
amusing. Several examples might help remind you. a promotional tweet featuring an outdated map of Russia.
▪▪ Bad fabric, not fat thighs: In early 2013, Lululemon Offended Russian patriots responded with pictures of
Athletica was forced to recall its popular (and expensive) yoga themselves pouring the soft drink into toilets with the
pants, because many women found them utterly see-through. hashtag #BanCocaCola.5
Later in the year, the founder of the firm was forced to resign ▪▪ Thank you, Captain Obvious! A surprising number of
after blaming the problem on women with fat thighs who firms just can’t seem to credit their customers with even
rubbed the fabric too sheer with multiple uses.3 basic intelligence. Marks & Spencer’s labeled one of their
▪▪ Apple angst: In a rare display of new product devel- Bread Puddings, PRODUCT WILL BE HOT AFTER HEATING.
opment weakness, Apple released its Maps program before On a Sears hairdryer, DO NOT USE WHILE SLEEPING. And
it was ready for the Big Time. Mostly harmless, the program on packaging for a Rowenta iron, DO NOT IRON CLOTHES
baffled millions of trusting consumers. But in Fairbanks, ON BODY. While these warnings most likely have a legal
Alaska, it directed hapless users onto active runways of the backstory, it’s hard for a reasonable consumer not to see
them as silly goofs.6
average of five different screens. In sum, millennials As the economy has finally emerged from the Great Re-
approached adulthood hoping to be discovered, cession, and unemployment and financial ruin are less of a
while digital natives approach adulthood planning threat, fewer people have been motivated to risk starting
to work for success.7 new businesses.8 People who do risk their time, money,
and other resources to start and manage a business are
1-1a Business Basics: Some Key called entrepreneurs.
Interestingly, as entrepreneurs create wealth for them-
Definitions selves, they produce a ripple effect that enriches everyone
While you can certainly recognize a business when you around them. For instance, if your new website becomes
see one, more formal definitions may help as you read the next Facebook, who will benefit? Clearly, you will. And
through this book. A business is any organization or you’ll probably spend at least some of that money enrich-
activity that provides goods and services in an effort to ing your local clubs, clothing stores, and car dealerships.
earn a Profit is the financial reward that comes from But others will benefit, too,
starting and running a business. More specifically, profit including your members, business Any organization or
is the money that a business earns in sales (or revenue), advertisers on your site and activity that provides goods and
minus expenses such as the cost of goods and the cost the staff who support them, services in an effort to earn a profit.
of salaries. But clearly, not every business earns a profit contractors who build your profit The money that a business
all the time. When a business brings in less money than facilities, and the govern- earns in sales (or revenue), minus
it needs to cover expenses, it incurs a loss. If you launch ment that collects your expenses, such as the cost of goods
and the cost of salaries. Revenue 2
a music label, for instance, you’ll need to pay your artists, taxes. The impact of one Expenses 5 Profit (or Loss).
lease a studio, and purchase equipment, among other ex- successful entrepreneur can
penses. If your label generates hits, you’ll earn more than extend to the far reaches of loss When a business incurs
expenses that are greater than its
enough to cover all your expenses and make yourself the economy. In fact, fast- revenue.
rich. But a series of duds could leave you holding the bag. growing new firms generate
Just the possibility of earning a profit provides a powerful about 10% of all new jobs entrepreneurs People who
risk their time, money, and other
incentive for people of all backgrounds to launch their in any given year.9 Multiply resources to start and manage a
own enterprises. But unfortunately, the rate of new busi- the impact by thousands business.
ness start-ups has been decreasing over the past few years. of entrepreneurs—each
working in his or her own self-interest—and you can see
how the profit motive benefits virtually everyone.
From a bigger-picture perspective, business drives up
the standard of living for people worldwide, contribut-
ing to a higher quality of life. Businesses not only provide
the products and services that people enjoy but also pro-
Hulton Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

vide the jobs that people need. Beyond the obvious, busi-
ness contributes to society through innovation—think cars,
TVs, and tablet computers. Business also helps raise the stan-
dard of living through taxes, which the government spends
on projects that range from streetlights to environmental
cleanup. Socially responsible firms contribute even more
by actively advocating for the well-being of the society that
feeds their success.
Henry Ford’s assembly line began operation

1-2 THE HISTORY OF BUSINESS: on December 1, 1913. Initially developed for
the Model T, this new production system
PUTTING IT ALL IN CONTEXT allowed manufacturers of all kinds to
output products like never before.
You may be surprised to learn that—unlike today—
business hasn’t always been focused on what the customer
wants. In fact, business in the United States has changed
rather dramatically over the past 200–300 years. Most busi- laws to regulate business and protect consumers and
ness historians divide the history of American business workers, creating more balance in the economy.
into five distinct eras, which overlap during the periods of ■■ The Production Era: In the early part of the 1900s,
transition: major businesses focused on further refining the
■■ The Industrial Revolution: Technological ad- production process and creating greater efficien-
vances fueled a period of rapid industrialization in cies. Jobs became even more specialized, increasing
America from the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s. As productivity and lowering costs and prices. In 1913,
mass production took hold, huge factories replaced Henry Ford introduced the assembly line, which
skilled artisan workshops. The factories hired large quickly became standard across major manufactur-
numbers of semiskilled workers who specialized in a ing industries. With managers focused on efficiency,
limited number of tasks. The result was unprecedent- the customer was an afterthought. But when
ed production efficiency but also a loss of individual customers tightened their belts during the Great
ownership and personal pride in the production Depression and World War II, businesses took notice.
process. The “hard sell” emerged: a ggressive persuasion de-
signed to separate consumers from their cash.
■■ The Entrepreneurship Era: Building on the foun-
dation of the Industrial Revolution, large-scale entre- ■■ The Marketing Era: After World War II, the balance
preneurs emerged in the second half of the 1800s, of power shifted away from producers and toward
building business empires. These industrial titans cre- consumers, flooding the market with enticing choices.
ated enormous wealth, raising the overall standard of To differentiate themselves from their competitors, busi-
living across the country. But many also dominated nesses began to develop brands, or distinctive identities,
their markets, forcing out to help consumers understand the differences among
competitors, manipulat- various products. The marketing concept emerged: a
standard of living The consumer focus that permeates successful companies
quality and quantity of goods and
ing prices, exploiting
workers, and decimating in every department, at every level. This approach con-
services available to a population.
the environment. Toward tinues to influence business decisions today as global
quality of life The overall competition heats up to unprecedented levels.
sense of well-being experienced the end of the 1800s, the
by either an individual or a group. government stepped into ■■ The Relationship Era: Building on the marketing
the business realm, passing concept, today, leading-edge firms look beyond each
The Connection Economy
Success today no longer requires building great things, although 2. Trust. Finding ways to connect and create value only works
there will always be big rewards for building the best new things when the players share basic trust.
(see Apple, Tesla, and Virgin, among other success stories). 3. Permission. When you offer ideas to people who give you
According to industry leaders, the most successful firms of the permission to do so, it’s a resource. Without that permission,
present rely on connection—either connecting buyers and sellers it’s an annoyance. What’s new and significant is that the
or connecting consumers and information. Uber, the largest permission must be earned, and not requested.
ride-sharing company, owns no vehicles but connects people to 4. The exchange of ideas. True value emerges when people
rides and drivers to customers. Airbnb, the largest provider of exchange ideas deliberately and with established purpose
accommodations, owns no real estate but connects people to (at a meet-up or conference, for instance).
lodging. Kickstarter and Indiegogo, both giants of crowdfunding,
Godin also emphases the importance of generosity and art.
have no money to invest but may soon surpass traditional venture
No one wants to connect with a person who always takes but
capital firms by connecting investors to opportunities. According
never gives back. You must add value to all of your interactions
to entrepreneur and author Seth Godin, the connection economy
to make the connection worthwhile. Art is important, according
works best when the following four conditions are met:
to Godin, because forward-thinking people are looking for the
1. Coordination. Without coordination, connections can’t extraordinary. Traditional systems are inherently boring and
happen. In fact, the most significant business opportunities unremarkable. In the connection economy, people are seeking
may lie in areas that currently appear chaotic. the remarkable—the things that are truly worthy of remark.10
immediate transaction with a customer and aim to goods and services and contribute in significant ways to
build long-term relationships. Satisfied customers our region’s economic stability and growth.” Nationwide,
can become advocates for a business, spreading the nonprofits employ about one in ten workers, accounting
word with more speed and credibility than even the for more paid workers than the entire construction indus-
best promotional campaign. And cultivating current try and more than the finance, insurance, and real-estate
customers is more profitable than constantly seeking sectors combined. And nonprofit museums, schools, the-
new ones. One key tool is technology. Using the Web aters, and orchestras have become economic magnets
and other digital resources, businesses gather detailed for many communities, drawing additional investment.11
information about their customers and use these data
to serve them better, “bringing a level of customer
centricity that we’ve never seen before,” according to
1-4 FACTORS OF PRODUCTION:
Graeme Noseworthy, marketing director for IBM. THE BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS
Both businesses and nonprofits rely on factors of
1-3 NONPROFITS AND THE production—four fundamental resources—to achieve
their objectives. Some combination of these factors is cru-
ECONOMY: THE BUSINESS cial for an economic system to work and create wealth. As
OF DOING GOOD you read through the factors,
keep in mind that they don’t
Nonprofit organizations play a critical role in the economy, come free of charge. Human nonprofits Business-like
resources, for instance, re- establishments that employ people
often working hand in hand with businesses to improve and produce goods and services with
the quality of life in our society. Focusing on areas such as quire wages, while entrepre-
the fundamental goal of contributing
health, human services, education, art, religion, and cul- neurs need a profit incentive. to the community rather than
ture, nonprofits are business-like establishments, but ■■ Natural Resources: generating financial gain.
their primary goals do not include profits. Chuck Bean, This factor includes all factors of production Four
executive director of the Nonprofit Roundtable, explains: inputs that offer value fundamental elements—natural
“By definition, nonprofits are not in the business of finan- in their natural state, resources, capital, human resources,
and entrepreneurship—that
cial gain. We’re in the business of doing good. However, such as land, fresh wa- businesses need to achieve their
nonprofits are still businesses in every other sense— ter, wind, and mineral objectives.
they employ people, they take in revenue, they produce deposits. Most natural
■■ Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurs are people
who take the risk of launching and operating their
own businesses, largely in response to the profit
incentive. They tend to see opportunities where
others don’t, and they use their own resources
to capitalize on that potential. Entrepreneurial
enterprises can kick-start an economy, creating a
tidal wave of opportunity by harnessing the other
factors of production. But entrepreneurs don’t
thrive in an environment that doesn’t support
them. The key ingredient is economic freedom:
freedom of choice (whom to hire, for instance, or
kojoku/Shutterstock.com
what to produce), freedom from excess regulation,
and freedom from too much taxation. Protection
from corruption and unfair competition is another
entrepreneurial “must.”
Many businesses work with nonprofits to Clearly, all of these factors must be in place for an
boost their impact in the community. economy to thrive. But which factor is most important?
One way to answer that question is to examine cur-
rent economies around the world. Russia and China are
resources must be extracted, purified, or harnessed; both rich in natural resources and human resources, and
people cannot actually create them. (Note that ag- both countries have a solid level of capital (growing in
ricultural products, which people do create through China, and deteriorating in Russia). Yet, neither country
planting and tending, are not a natural resource.) The is wealthy; both rank relatively low in terms of gross
value of all natural resources tends to rise with high national income per person. The missing ingredient
demand, low supply, or both. seems to be entrepreneurship, limited in Russia largely
■■ Capital: This factor includes machines, tools, build- through corruption and in China through government
ings, information, and technology—the synthetic interference and taxes. Contrast those examples with,
resources that a business needs to produce goods or say, Hong Kong. The population is small, and the natural
services. Computers and telecommunications capa- resources are severely limited, yet Hong Kong has con-
bility have become pivotal elements of capital across sistently ranked among the richest regions in Asia. The
a surprising range of industries, from financial reason: operating for many years under the British legal
services to professional sports. You may be surprised and economic system, the government actively encour-
to learn that in this context, capital does not include aged entrepreneurship, which fueled the creation of
money, but, clearly, businesses use money to acquire, wealth. Recognizing the potential of entrepreneurship,
maintain, and upgrade their capital. China has recently done more to relax regulations and
■■ Human Resources: This factor encompasses the support free enterprise. The result has been tremendous
physical, intellectual, and creative contributions growth, which may yet bring China into the ranks of the
of everyone who works within an economy. As wealthier nations.12
technology replaces a growing number of manual
labor jobs, education and motivation have become
increasingly important to human resource develop-
1-5 THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT:
ment. Given the impor- THE CONTEXT FOR SUCCESS
tance of knowledge to
business environment The workforce effectiveness, No business operates in a vacuum. Outside factors play
setting in which business operates. some business experts, a vital role in determining whether each individual busi-
The five key components are such as management ness succeeds or fails. Likewise, the broader business
economic environment, competitive
guru Peter Drucker, break environment can make the critical difference in
environment, technological
environment, social environment, out knowledge as its own whether an overall economy thrives or disintegrates. The
and global environment. category, separate from five key dimensions of the business environment are
human resources. the economic environment, the competitive environment,
the technological environment, the social environment,
and the global environment, as shown in Exhibit 1.1. “A banker is a fellow who lends
you his umbrella when the sun
1-5a The Economic Environment is shining, but wants it back the
In September 2008, the U.S. economy plunged into minute it begins to rain.”
the worst fiscal crisis since the Great Depression. Huge, — M A R K T WA I N ,
venerable financial institutions faced collapse, spurring AMERICAN AUTHOR
unprecedented bailouts by the federal government
and the Federal Reserve. By the end of the year, the
stock market had lost more than a third of its value, and
on renewable energy—to position the U.S. economy for
11.1 million Americans were out of work. Housing prices
stability and growth in the decades to come. (The price,
fell precipitously, and foreclosure rates reached record
of course, was more national debt, which will ultimately
levels. As fear swept through the banking industry, neither
counterbalance some of the benefits.) Although the U.S.
businesses nor individuals could borrow money to meet
economic recovery continued through 2015, the entire
their needs. Economic turmoil in the United States spread
world economy began to stagger in early 2016 as eco-
quickly around the world, fueling a global economic crisis.
nomic instability in China caused frightening ripples
The U.S. economy continued to stagger through 2010
around the globe.
and 2011, with unemployment remaining stubbornly
The government also takes active steps on an on-
high, although signs of recovery began to emerge in late
going basis to reduce the risks of starting and running a
2012, and certainly in 2013. The Federal Reserve—the U.S.
business. The result: free enterprise and fair competition
central banking system—took unprecedented, proac-
flourish. Despite the economic crisis, research suggests
tive steps to encourage an economic turnaround. And
that most budding entrepreneurs still plan to launch their
President Barack Obama spearheaded passage of a mas-
firms in the next three years. One government policy that
sive economic stimulus package, designed not only to
supports business is the relatively low federal tax rate, both
create jobs but also to build infrastructure—with a focus
for individuals and businesses. A number of states—from
Alabama to Nevada—make their local economies even
more appealing by providing special tax deals to attract
Exhibit 1.1 new firms. The federal government also runs entire agen-
cies that support business, such as the Small Business
The Business Environment Administration. Other branches of the government, such
as the Federal Trade Commission, actively promote fair
competitive practices, which help give every enterprise a
chance to succeed.
Ec iron
En
on m
t
v
en
nm l
Another key element of the U.S. economic environ-

vi ocia
om en
i c t
S
ro
ment is legislation that supports enforceable contracts.

En
For instance, if you contract a baker to supply your health

food company with 10,000 pounds of raw kale chips at
BUSINESS $1.00 per pound, that firm must comply or face legal con-
sequences. The firm can’t wait until a day before delivery
tive t G and jack up the price to $10.00 per pound because you
peti Env lobal
Com ronmen iron
Env
i men
t would almost certainly respond with a successful lawsuit.
Many U.S. businesspeople take enforceable contracts for
Envir onme nt
Technological
granted, but in a number of developing countries—which

offer some of today’s largest business opportunities—
contracts are often not enforceable (at least not in day-
to-day practice).
Corruption also affects the economic environment.
Each dimension of the business environment affects both individual A low level of corruption and bribery dramatically re-
businesses and the economy in general. duces the risks of running a business by ensuring that
everyone plays by the same set of rules—rules that are
clearly visible to every player. Fortunately, U.S. laws keep
EXHIBIT 1.2 2 016 GLOBAL BRAND CHAMPIONS
domestic corruption mostly—but not completely—at
bay. Other ethical lapses, such as shady accounting, can
AND THE ONES TO WATCH,
also increase the cost of doing business for everyone
INTERBRAND
involved. But in the wake of corporate ethical meltdowns Percentage
such as Enron, the federal government has passed Most Valuable Biggest Gainer Growth
tough-minded new regulations to increase corporate
Apple Facebook 148%
accountability. If the new legislation effectively curbs
illegal and unethical practices, every business will have a Google Amazon 133%
fair chance at success. Coca-Cola Lego 125%
Upcoming chapters on economics and ethics will ad-
dress these economic challenges and their significance in Microsoft Nissan 122%
more depth. But bottom line, we have reason for cautious Toyota Adobe 121%
(some would say very cautious) optimism. The American
IBM Starbucks 120%
economy has a proven track record of flexibility and resil-
ience, which will surely help us navigate this crisis and un- Samsung Zara 119%
cover new opportunities. Amazon Mercedes-Benz 118%
1-5b The Competitive Environment Mercedes-Benz Porsche 118%
GE Hermes 117%
As global competition intensifies yet further, leading-
edge companies have focused on customer satisfaction Source: Best Global Brands 2016, Interbrand, http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2016
/ranking/, accessed January 23, 2017.
like never before. The goal: to develop long-term, mu-
tually beneficial relationships with customers. Getting
Interbrand highlights brands that use imagination and
current customers to buy more of your product is a lot
innovation to deliver value to their customers. Exhibit 1.2
less expensive than convincing potential customers to
shows the winners and the up-and-comers in the race
try your product for the first time. And if you transform
to capture the hearts, minds, and dollars of consumers
your current customers into loyal advocates—vocal
around the world.
promoters of your product or service—they’ll get those
new customers for you more effectively than any ad- Leading Edge versus Bleeding Edge Speed-to-
vertising or discount program. Companies such as Ama- market—the rate at which a firm transforms concepts into
zon, Coca-Cola, and Northwestern Mutual life insurance actual products—can be another key source of competi-
lead their industries in customer satisfaction, which tive advantage. And the pace of change just keeps getting
translates into higher profits even when the competi- faster. In this tumultuous setting, companies that stay ahead
tion is tough.13 of the pack often enjoy a distinct advantage. But keep in
Customer satisfaction comes in large part from deliv- mind that there’s a difference between leading edge and
ering unsurpassed value. The best measure of value is the bleeding edge. Bleeding-edge firms launch products that
size of the gap between product benefits and price. A prod- fail because they’re too far ahead of the market. During
uct has value when its benefits to the customer are equal the late 1990s, for example, in the heart of the dot.com
to or greater than the price that the customer pays. Keep in boom, Webvan, a grocery delivery service, launched to
mind that the cheapest product doesn’t necessarily repre- huge fanfare. But the firm went bankrupt just a few years
sent the best value. If a 99-cent toy from Big Lots breaks in later in 2001, partly because customers weren’t yet ready to
a day, customers may be willing to pay several dollars more dump traditional grocery stores in favor of cyber-shopping.
for a similar toy from somewhere else. But if that 99-cent Leading-edge firms, on the other hand, offer products just
toy lasts all year, customers will be delighted by the value as the market becomes ready to embrace them.14
and will likely encourage their friends and family to shop at Apple provides an excellent example of leading edge.
Big Lots. The key to value is quality, and virtually all success- You may be surprised to learn that Apple—which controls
ful firms offer top-quality about 70%15 of the digital music player market—did not
products relative to their offer the first MP3 player. Instead, it surveyed the existing
speed-to-market The rate at
which a new product moves from direct competitors. market to help develop a new product, the iPod, which
conception to commercialization. A recent ranking was far superior in terms of design and ease-of-use. But
study by consulting firm Apple didn’t stop with one successful MP3 player. Racing
role in both employee sat-
isfaction and strong stock
performance.17
Finding and hold-
ing the best talent will
likely become a crucial
competitive issue in the
next decade as the baby
boom generation begins
to retire. The 500 largest
U.S. companies anticipate
losing about half of their
senior managers over
the next five to six years.
Since January 1, 2011, ap-
proximately 10,000 baby
Nadalina/Shutterstock.com
boomers began to turn 65
(the traditional retirement
age) every day, and the
Pew Research Center an-
ticipates that this trend
will continue for 19 years.
Workforce Magazine named American Express as its top company Replacing the skills and
for HR management in 2016. Google, Accenture, USAA, and AT&T experience these workers
rounded out the rest of the top five. bring to their jobs may
be tough: baby boomers
include about 77 million
to stay ahead, they soon introduced the colorful, more af- people, while the generation that follows includes only
fordable iPod mini. And before sales reached their peak, 46 million. Firms that cultivate human resources now will
they launched the iPod Nano, which essentially pulled the find themselves better able to compete as the market for
rug from under the blockbuster iPod mini just a few short top talent tightens.18 However, job market contraction may
months before the holiday selling season. Why? If they not be an issue, because a growing number of baby boom-
hadn’t done it, someone else may well have done it instead. ers opt to either postpone retirement or continue working
And Apple is almost maniacally focused on maintaining its part-time during retirement, in the face of inadequate
competitive lead.16 financial resources.
1-5c The Workforce Advantage 1-5d The Technological Environment

Employees can contribute another key dimension to a firm’s The broad definition of business technology includes
competitive edge. Recent research suggests that investing any tools that businesses can use to become more effi-
in worker satisfaction yields tangible, bottom-line results. cient and effective. But more specifically, in today’s world,
The researchers evaluated the stock price of Fortune maga- business technology usually refers to computers, telecom-
zine’s annual list of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in munications, and other digital tools. Over the past few
America” to the S&P 500, which reflects the overall market. decades, the impact of digital technology on business
From 2009 to 2014, cumulative stock market returns for the has been utterly transfor-
“100 Best” were up 1205%, compared to 1121% for the mative. New industries
S&P 500. On an annualized basis, this translates to a return of have emerged, while oth- business technology Any
about 120.4% per year for the “100 Best,” and about 114.1% ers have disappeared. And tools—especially computers,
telecommunications, and other
per year for the S&P 500 over the same time period. While some fields—such as travel,
digital products—that businesses
the critical difference in performance most likely stemmed banking, and music—have can use to become more efficient
from employee satisfaction, other factors—such as excellent changed dramatically. Even and effective.
product and superb top management—likely also played a in categories with relatively
The Uber Syndrome
No doubt about it—senior executives make the most money in are the global economic environment and geopolitical tensions.
business. They also have the most to worry about, however. In a The global economy is more integrated today than ever before,
2015 study of senior executives, one participant described her and a crisis within any major country can quickly spread around
firm’s biggest worry as “the ‘Uber Syndrome’—where a competitor the world. We’ve seen this time and time again in recent years,
with a completely different business model enters your industry from the Grecian debt crisis of 2009 to the Chinese stock market
and flattens you.” In today’s tumultuous business world, this plunge of early 2016. Dennis Nally, global chairman of PwC
concern is completely understandable. Analyzing the research, Consultancy, explains why geopolitical tension is a threat to
Fortune magazine editor Geoff Colvin noticed that this year, for the global economy: “[If] you’ve got hot spots anywhere in
the first time, most business leaders expected new competitors the world, it creates instability . . . business leaders hate
to be outsiders. Business leaders know they must disrupt—or be instability.” The latest PwC survey of CEOs shows that among
disrupted. The solution to this impending threat, according to American CEOs in particular, there is widespread recognition
the small cohort of highly successful firms that the research dubs that a strong corporate purpose is vital in the digital world.
“torchbearers,” seems to be to focus more on customers and less In addition, CEOs are focused on building stronger trust with
on competitors. When a disruptive player makes its move, loyal employees and customers alike. So if your life goal is to reach
customers are less likely to defect and destroy your business. the top rung at a major corporation, don’t expect to leave your
worries behind. It would seem that the higher you go, the more
According to a separate survey of CEOs released in 2016, the
pressing the worries.19
two largest concerns among chief executives around the world
unchanged products, companies have leveraged technol- networks with suppliers and distributors to create a more
ogy to streamline production and create new efficiencies. seamless flow of goods and services.20
Examples include new processes such as computerized Alternative selling strategies thrive on the Internet,
billing, digital animation, and robotic manufacturing. For giving rise to a more individualized buying experience. If
fast-moving firms, the technological environment repre- you’ve browsed seller reviews on eBay or received shop-
sents a rich source of competitive advantage, but it clearly ping recommendations from Amazon, you’ll have a sense
can be a major threat for companies that are slow to adopt of how personal web marketing can feel. Online technology
or to integrate new approaches. also allows leading-edge firms to offer customized products
The creation of the World Wide Web has trans- at prices that are comparable to standardized products. On
formed not only business but also people’s lives. Anyone, the Burton website, for instance, customers can “custom
anywhere, anytime can use the Web to send and receive build” professional quality “Custom X” snowboards while sit-
images and data (as long as access is available). One result ting at home in their pajamas. Nike offers a similar service for
is the rise of e-commerce or online sales, which allow NikeID shoes, clothing, and gear.
businesses to tap into a worldwide community of potential As technology continues to evolve at breakneck
customers. In the wake of speed, the scope of change—both in everyday life and
the global economic crisis, business operations—is almost unimaginable. In this envi-
World Wide Web The service e-commerce has slowed ronment, companies that welcome change and manage it
that allows computer users to easily from the breakneck 20%+ well will clearly be the winners.
access and share information on the
Internet in the form of text, graphics,
growth rates of the past five
video, apps, and animation. years, but even so, analysts 1-5e The Social Environment
predict that solid growth
e-commerce Business The social environment embodies the values, attitudes, cus-
will continue. Business-to-
transactions conducted online, toms, and beliefs shared by groups of people. It also covers
typically via the Internet. business selling comprises demographics, or the measurable characteristics of a
the vast majority of total
demographics The population. Demographic factors include population size and
e-commerce sales (and an
measurable characteristics of a density and specific traits such as age, gender, race, educa-
population. Demographic factors even larger share of the tion, and income. Clearly, given all these influences, the social
include population size and density, profits). A growing num-
as well as specific traits such as age, environment changes dramatically from country to country.
ber of businesses have also
gender, and race. And a nation as diverse as the United States features a num-
connected their digital ber of different social environments. Rather than cover the
Do You Do It?
More than 1,000 times a minute, someone in America bites into a Jack in the
Box taco—one of more than a million Jack in the Box tacos sold every day.
With such numbers, you might think that Jack unearthed the secret to
the perfect-tasting taco . . . but you’d be wrong. Jack’s taco has been
variously described by its fans as:
▪▪ “a wet envelope of cat food”
▪▪ “vile and amazing”
▪▪ “disgusting and delectable”
m
▪▪ “repulsive and yet irresistible” ck
.co
o
r st
t te
So why does the Jack in the Box taco do so well? Food writer Sophie Egan offers three S hu
o/
ot
possible reasons. First, it’s cheap. At two for $.99 it’s a real deal. Second, it’s fried. Ph
r st
As much as we like the idea of fruits and vegetables—fried stuff tastes good! Finally, it’s a Hu
metaphorical flip of the bird to the “food police,” who many believe are attempting to exert
too much control over our rights to eat whatever we please. 21
full spectrum, this section focuses on the broad social trends So what does this mean for business? Growing eth-
that have the strongest impact on American business. Under- nic populations offer robust profit potential for firms that
standing the various dimensions of the social environment is pursue them. For instance, a number of major brands
crucial since successful businesses must offer goods and ser- such as Coca-Cola, General Mills, Ford, Nestlé, Purina,
vices that respond to it. and Walmart have invested heavily in the Hispanic mar-
ket over the past five years. Recognizing the potential of
Diversity While the American population has al- the Hispanic market, Japanese automakers have begun
ways included an array of different cultures, the United actively targeting Latino customers. Because of these ef-
States has become more ethnically diverse in recent forts, Hispanic customers are reportedly 15% more likely
years. Caucasians continue to represent the largest chunk than any other group to buy a Japanese-made car. Toyota,
of the population at 63%, but according to the direc-
tor of the U.S. Census Bureau, “The next half century
marks a turning point in continuing trends—the U.S. will be-
come a plurality nation, where the non-Hispanic white pop- Exhibit 1.3
ulation remains the largest single group, but no group is in
U.S. Population Estimates
the majority.” This will probably happen in about 2043. The
Hispanic and Asian populations will probably continue to 80
2014
grow faster than any other ethnic groups. By 2060, nearly one 70
62.2% 2060
% of Population
60
in three U.S. residents will be Hispanic, up from about one in
50
six today. This will happen even though the overwhelming 43.6%
40
wave of immigration from Mexico to the United States has 28.6%
30
stalled and even begun to reverse in the past few years; nev- 17.4%
20
ertheless, among Mexican-born people worldwide, one in 12.4%13.0%
9.1%
10 5.2% 4.9%
ten currently lives in the United States.22 Exhibit 1.3 demon- 2.0%
0
strates the shifting population breakdown. White Black Hispanic Asian Two or
But the national statistics are somewhat misleading, more races
Population Group
since ethnic groups tend to cluster together. African Ameri-
cans, for example, currently comprise about 37% of the Source: Projections of the Size and Composition of the U.S. Population: 2014 to 2060, U.S. Census Bureau,
March 2015, https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2015/demo /p25-1143
Mississippi population, Asians comprise about 39% of the .pdf, accessed May 9, 2016.
Hawaii population, and Hispanics comprise about 47% of

the New Mexico population.23
in particular, has been the top-selling brand among Lati- number of people in China over the age of 60 will dou-
nos for more than ten years thanks to its highly targeted ble, leading to a nation where the retired will outnumber
marketing. Targeting an ethnic market can also yield the entire population of Western Europe. There are cur-
remarkable results for products that cross over into main- rently six workers to every retiree, but China’s one-child
stream culture. Music mogul and entrepreneur Russell policy suggests that the number of people providing for
Simmons, for example, initially targeted his music and the old will rapidly collapse.27
clothing to the African American market, but his success The rapidly aging population brings opportunities
quickly spilled over to mainstream culture, helping him and threats for business. Companies in fields that cater
build a hip-hop empire.24 to the elderly—such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals,
Growing diversity also affects the workforce. A di- travel, recreation, and financial management—will clearly
verse staff—one that reflects an increasingly diverse boom. But creative companies in other fields will capi-
marketplace—can yield a powerful competitive ad- talize on the trend as well by reimagining their current
vantage in terms of both innovation and ability to products to serve older clients. Possibilities include books
reach a broad customer base. From global behemoths, and movies—maybe even video games—with mature
such as Coca-Cola and Verizon, to local corner stores, characters; low-impact fitness programs such as water
companies have taken proactive steps to hire and nur- aerobics; and cell phones and PDAs with more readable
ture people from a broad range of backgrounds. And screens. Again, the potential payoff of age diversity is
that doesn’t just reflect racial or ethnic roots. True diver- clear: companies with older employees are more likely to
sity also includes differences in gender, age, religion, and find innovative ways to reach the aging consumer market.
nationality, among other areas. Leading-edge firms have But the larger numbers of retired people also pose sig-
also taken proactive steps to train their entire workforce nificant threats to overall business success. With a smaller
to manage diversity for top performance.25 labor pool, companies will need to compete even harder
Effectively managing diversity should only become for top talent, driving up recruitment and payroll costs.
easier as time goes by. Multiple studies demonstrate that As state and federal governments stretch to serve the ag-
young American adults are the most tolerant age group, ing population, taxes may increase, putting an additional
and they are moving in a more tolerant direction than ear- burden on business. And as mid-career workers spend
lier generations regarding racial differences, immigrants, more on elder care, they may find themselves with less to
and homosexuality. As this generation gathers influence spend on other goods and services, shrinking the size of
and experience in the workforce, they are likely to lever- the consumer market.
age diversity in their organizations to hone their edge in a
fiercely competitive marketplace.26 Rising Worker Expectations Workers of all ages
continue to seek flexibility from their employers. More-
Aging Population As life spans increase and birth- over, following massive corporate layoffs in the early
rates decrease, the American population is rapidly ag- 2000s, employees are much less apt to be loyal to their
ing. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the nation’s firms. A study released in 2013 showed that on average,
population age 65 and older will more than double employees in Fortune 500 firms have a median tenure of
between 2005 and 2060. By 2060, older Americans will only 3.68 years. As young people today enter the work-
represent just over one in five residents, up from one in force, they bring higher expectations for their employers
seven today. Also, the number of working-age Ameri- in terms of salary, job responsibility, and flexibility—and
cans will shrink from 63% to 57% less willingness to pay dues by
of the population, dramatically working extra-long hours or doing a
increasing the number of people In Asia, the average high volume of “grunt work.” Smart
who are depending on each work- firms are responding to the change
ing American. And the United
person’s living in worker expectations by forging a
States isn’t alone in this trend. The standards are new partnership with their employ-
population is aging across the currently set to rise ees. The goal is a greater level of
developed world, from Western mutual respect through open com-
by 10,000% in one
Europe to Japan. China faces the munication, information sharing,
same issue, magnified by its huge lifetime! and training. And the not-so-hid-
population. Demographers esti- —NEWSWEEK den agenda, of course, is stronger
mate that in the next 20 years the long-term performance.28
Ethics and Social
Responsibility With
high-profile ethical melt-
downs dominating the
headlines in the past few
years, workers, consum-
ers, and government Over the past couple of decades, China has been a
alike have begun to magnet for manufacturing jobs because of the high
hold businesses—and the people who run population and low wages—about $3.50 per hour (in-
them—to a higher standard. Federal legislation, passed cluding government-mandated benefits) versus about
in the wake of the Enron fiasco, demands transparent $19.50 in the United States—although the gap is rap-
financial management and more accountability from idly closing due to double-digit annual wage inflation
senior executives. And recognizing their key role in busi- in China. And India has been especially adept at attract-
ness success, a growing number of consumers and working high-tech jobs, in part because of their world-class,
ers have begun to insist that companies play a proactive English-speaking university graduates who are willing
role in making their communities—and often the world to work for less than their counterparts around the
community—better places. Sustainability—doing busi- globe.30
ness today without harming the ability of future genera- The migration of jobs relates closely to the global
tions to meet their needs—has become a core issue in movement toward free trade. In 1995, a renegotia-
the marketplace, driving business policies, investment tion of the General Agreement on Tariffs and
decisions, and consumer purchases on an unprece- Trade (GATT)—signed by 125 countries—took bold
dented scale.29 steps to lower tariffs (taxes on imports) and to reduce
trade restrictions worldwide. The result: goods move
more freely than ever across international boundar-
1-5f The Global Environment
ies. Individual groups of countries have gone even
The U.S. economy operates within the context of the global further, creating blocs of nations with virtually unre-
environment, interacting continually with other economies. stricted trade. Mexico, Canada, and the United States
In fact, over the past two decades, technology and free have laid the groundwork for a free-trade mega-market
trade have blurred the lines between individual economies through the North American Free Trade Agreement
around the world. Technology has forged unprecedented (NAFTA), and 25 European
links among countries, making it cost effective—even ef- countries have created a free trade An international
ficient—to establish computer help centers in Mumbai to powerful free-trading bloc economic and political movement
serve customers in Boston, or to hire programmers in Bue- through the European designed to help goods and services
nos Aires to make websites for companies in Stockholm. Union, which has been flow more freely across international
boundaries.
Not surprisingly, jobs have migrated to the lowest bidder weakened by a severe,
with the highest quality—regardless of where that bidder ongoing financial crisis. General Agreement on
is based. The free-trade movement Tariffs and Trade (GATT) An
international trade agreement that
Often, the lowest bidder is based in China or India. has lowered prices and has taken bold steps to lower tariffs
Both economies are growing at breakneck speed, largely increased quality across and promote free trade worldwide.
because they attract enormous foreign investment. virtually every product
category as competition becomes truly global. We’ll states. And in 2013, Typhoon Haiyan decimated the Phil-
discuss these issues and their implications in more ippines. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—while a boon
depth in Chapter 3. to the defense industry—have dampened the economic
potential of both areas. With nationalism on the rise, and
A Multi-Pronged Threat In the past decade growing religious and ethnic tensions around the world,
alone, war, terrorism, disease, and natural disasters have the global economy may continue to suffer collateral
taken a horrific toll in human lives across the globe. The damage.31
economic toll has been devastating as well, affecting
businesses around the world. The 9/11 terrorist attacks
in New York and Washington, D.C., decimated the travel
industry and led to multibillion-dollar government out-
1-6 B USINESS AND YOU: MAKING
lays for Homeland Security. In 2002, a terrorist bombing IT PERSONAL
at an Indonesian nightclub killed nearly 200 people, de-
stroying tourism on the holiday island of Bali. Similarly, Whatever your career choice—from video game devel-
the 2015 terror attacks in Paris dealt a devastating blow oper to real-estate agent, to web designer—business will
to tourism throughout Europe, which was already strug- affect your life. Both the broader economy and your own
gling to handle an overwhelming refugee crisis. The business skills will influence the level of your personal fi-
2003 deadly epidemic of the SARS flu dealt a powerful nancial success. In light of these factors, making the right
blow to the economies of Hong Kong, Beijing, and To- career choice can be a bit scary. But the good news is that
ronto. And the Ebola outbreak of 2014 had a catastrophic experts advise graduating students to “Do what you love.”
impact on several impoverished African economies that This is a hardheaded strategy, not softhearted puffery. Fol-
could least afford the hit. Less than two years later, the lowing your passion makes dollars and sense in today’s
Indian Ocean tsunami wiped out the fishing industry on environment, which values less-routine abilities such
long swaths of the Indian and Sri Lankan coastlines and as creativity, communication, and caring. These abilities
crippled the booming Thai tourism industry. That same tend to be more rewarding for most people than routine,
year, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed homes and programmable skills that computers can easily emulate.
businesses alike and brought the Gulf Coast oil industry Following your passion doesn’t guarantee a fat paycheck,
to a virtual standstill. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy wreaked but it does boost your chances of both financial and per-
$50 billion of economic damage on the eastern seaboard sonal success.32
THE BIG PICTURE

Business today is complex, global, and faster will continue to change the business landscape. And a new focus
moving than ever before. Looking forward, on ethics and social responsibility will likely transform the role of
the rate of change seems likely to accelerate yet further. business in society. This book will focus on the impact of change
Although the full impact of the global economic crisis is still in every facet of business, from management to marketing,
unclear, China and India seem poised to gain economic clout, to money, with an emphasis on how the elements of business
raising worldwide competition to a whole new level. Technology relate to each other and how business as a whole relates to you.
CAREERS IN BUSINESS
Manager of New Media business strategy. According to Salary.com, the median
base salary for social media marketing managers in 2016
Work with marketing team to determine what motivates was $93,659, although there was significant variation
and inspires consumers. Lead development and execution based on company, location, industry, experience, and
of digital marketing campaigns across a variety of platforms benefits. Most new media positions require experience
to build a deep, meaningful, and genuine relationship in the field and a four-year degree in either business or
with consumers. Develop and manage interactive viral communication. Many also prefer a master’s degree in
campaigns, integrate interactive media into the overall business (an MBA).
STUDY TOOLS 1
LOCATED AT BACK OF THE TEXTBOOK
■■ Rip-Out Chapter Review Card
■■ Gain unique perspectives on key concepts with new concept ■■ Study with existing flashcards and make your own
videos in the e-book
■■ Increase your comprehension with online homework and
quizzes

2 Economics:
The Framework for Business
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter, you will be able to:
2-1 Define economics and discuss the evolving global economic crisis
Remember to visit
2-2 Analyze the impact of fiscal and monetary policy on the economy
2-3 Explain and evaluate the free market system and supply and demand
PAGE 37
for additional
2-4 Explain and evaluate planned market systems
STUDY TOOLS
2-5 Describe the trend toward mixed market systems
2-6 Discuss key terms and tools to evaluate economic performance
2-1 ECONOMICS: NAVIGATING A CRISIS

In September 2008, the United States plunged into a deep economic crisis. The
banking system hovered on the edge of collapse. Property values plummeted,
and home foreclosure rates soared. Massive layoffs put more than a million
Americans out of work. By the end of the year, the stock market had lost
more than a third of its value, and financial turmoil in the United States
economy A financial and
had sparked sequential economic shocks from Europe to
social system of how resources South America, to Asia and beyond. The outlook was grim.
flow through society, from
production to distribution, to
consumption.
economics The study of the How did this happen? definitions: The economy is essentially a financial and
choices that people, companies, Why? How could the social system. It represents the flow of resources
and governments make in economy get back on through society, from production to distribution, to
allocating society’s resources. consumption. Economics is the study of the choices
track?
macroeconomics The Understanding these that people, companies, and governments make in al-
study of a country’s overall issues—and how the gov- locating those resources. The field of economics falls
economic dynamics, such as
ernment, businesses, and into two core categories: macroeconomics and micro-
the employment rate, the gross
domestic product, and taxation individuals responded economics. Macroeconomics is the study of a coun-
policies. to them—requires under- try’s overall economic dynamics, such as the
standing some basic employment rate, the gross domestic product, and
“E
Tconomics
he chief business
is very useful
of the as
taxation policies. While macroeconomic issues may aAmerican
form of employment
people is business”
for
seem abstract, they directly affect your day-to-day life,
economists.” C A LV I N C O O L I D G E
influencing key variables such as what jobs will be avail-
able for you, how much cash you’ll actually take home — J O H N K E N N E T H G AAL M
B RE AR II CT AH N, EPCROENSOI DMEI NS TT
after taxes, or how much you can buy with that cash in
any given month. Microeconomics focuses on
smaller economic units such as individual consumers,
families, and individual businesses. Both macroeco- feared that the country was hovering on the brink of a
nomics and microeconomics have played an integral full-blown recession.1
role in the global economic crisis. In an effort to avert recession by increasing the money
supply and encouraging investment, the Federal Reserve—
2-1a Global Economic Crisis: the nation’s central bank—decreased interest rates from
6.5% in mid-2000 to 1.25% by the end of 2002. As a result,
How Did This Happen? the economy was awash with money, but opportunities to
The seeds of the crisis were planted more than a decade invest yielded paltry returns. This is when subprime mort-
ago, during a time of prosperity. Through the last half gage loans came into play. Most experts define subprime
of the 1990s, America enjoyed unprecedented growth. mortgages as loans to borrowers with low credit scores,
Unemployment was low, productivity was high, infla- high debt-to-income ratios, or other signs of a reduced abil-
tion was low, and the real standard of living for the aver- ity to repay the money they borrow.
age American rose significantly. The American economy These subprime mort-
grew by more than $2.4 trillion, a jump of nearly 33% gage loans were attractive
in just five years. But the scene changed for the worse to borrowers and lenders microeconomics The study
of smaller economic units such
when the dot-com bubble burst in 2000, followed by alike. For the borrowers, as individual consumers, families,
the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. As the stock market getting a loan suddenly be- and individual businesses.
dropped and unemployment rose, economic experts came a cinch, and for the
CHAPTER 2: Economics: The Framework for Business 19
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
bizony – nem voltak valami örvendetes dolgok és miattuk sokat
szenvedett Ronda. Ez azonban kettejük dolga, Ronda és Róza
dolga. Hozzá megy, már nem birta magát tovább türtőztetni.
Kalapját a kezébe vette, azután megint letette.
A nő elárulta, – igen ám, ugy bizony. Másrészt azonban ő tette
tönkre diákját, Kieselsackot. Jóvátette ezzel a hibáját? Még nem. De
hogyha más diákokat is – tönkretenne?
Ronda megállt, fejét lesunyta, vörös felhő lebegett fölötte.
Küzdött a boszuvágya és a féltékenysége, de meg se moccant.
Végül a boszuvágya győzött. Frölich szinmüvésznőnek
megbocsátott.
És Ronda gondolkozni kezdett a diákokról, akiket tönkre kellene
tennie. Milyen kár, hogy a piaci trafikos már nem jár iskolába; s az az
inas, aki nem köszön; és a többi, aki a városban él, mindenki. Őket
mind tönkretehetné Róza. Mindegyiket csufosan kiebrudalnák az
iskolából miatta. Másalaku romlást nem tudott Ronda elképzelni.
Más katasztrófa, mint hogy valakit kicsapnak az iskolából, nem is
létezett a szemében…
Mikor Frölich szinmüvésznőhöz bekopogtatott, maga a nő nyitott
ajtót, aki éppen menni készült.
– Juj! Végre! Éppen hozzád készültem. Te persze nem hiszed, de
itt fusson ki a szemem, ha nem igaz.
– Jó – mondta Ronda.
És csakugyan hozzá készült.
Frölich szinmüvésznő, mikor Ronda eltünt a látóhatárról, először
ezt mondta: »elszalasztottam« és elhatározta, hogy a lakást
fölmondja, a butorait eladja, egy darabig mint magánzó él és azután,
minthogy a Kiepert-házaspár máshová ment és már el is utazott, uj
szerződés után lát. Öreg Rondája iránt mindig baráti érzésekkel
viseltetett; de erőszakkal nem tukmálhatta rá és minthogy el se hitte
volna, nem is erősködött. A nőnek megvolt a maga filozofiája. Sokkal
könnyebb valakit becsapni, ha rossz fát teszünk a tüzre, mint
beigazolni azt, hogy tényleg ártatlanok vagyunk. Egyébként a multtal
való bibelődésnek se vége, se hossza, hogyha valaki, még ilyen
gyerekes dolgokban is, mint a hühnengrabi eset, talál valamit és azt
képzeli, hogy mindenkivel összeáll még azután is, hogy őt
megismerte. Aztán az öreg nem is volt az ő zsánere. Gyakran
csalódik az ember; ezt megállapitotta. Az utcán is félórahosszat
szaladt néha utána egy-egy lovag, amig végre nekidurálta magát,
utólérte és keszegül rápislantott. Azután elódalgott és ugy tett,
mintha semmi sem történt volna. Ronda is csak ezt müvelte és alig
hogy szemtől-szembe került vele, fuccs lett az egész. Hadd menjen.
Mikor aztán elmult egy kis idő, unatkozott és a pénze is
fogyatékán volt, elgondolta, hogy mégis ostobaság a dolgot igy
elpaccolni. Az öreg végül szégyelte magát, duzzogott és várta, hogy
a nő csak a kisujját is nyujtsa neki. Késznek mutatkozott kibékülni.
Vén gyerek volt, kissé kómikus és önfejü. A nő arra gondolt, hogy
dobta ki a kapitányt az öltözőből és érte még Kiepertékkel is
összetüzött; ezen nevetett. Nyomban azonban merev és gondolkozó
lett a szeme, olyan, mint mikor Rondára nézett. Ronda
féltékenykedett, ez bizonyos; és ezzel imponált neki. Most talán
magában ül, mérgelődik, dühöng rá s az epéjétől nem is tud
ebédelni. Ezt a nő rettenetesnek tartotta. Jó szive megindult. És
nemcsak a pénzért, meg a jólétért, de részvétből és
nagyrabecsülésből is elindult hozzája.
– Régóta nem láttuk már egymást – mondta a nő szemérmesen
és foghegyről.
– Ennek megvan a maga oka – szólt Ronda. – El voltam foglalva.
– Vagy ugy. Mivel?
– Tudod, hogy kiváltam az itteni gimnázium kebeléből.
– Értem. Ezt is a szememre hányod.
– Mindent jóvátettél. Mert a Kieselsack nevü diákot is
eltávolitották, aki előtt mindörökre zárva marad a tudományos pálya.
– Micsoda egy undok fráter volt.
– Vajmi kivánatos lenne, hogyha sok tanulóifjat érne hasonló
sors.
– De mit csináljunk? – mondta a nő és ravaszul mosolygott.
Ronda elvörösödött. Kis szünet következett, mialatt Róza
bevezette őt és leültette. A térdére siklott, Ronda válla mögött
elfintoritotta az arcát s alázatosan tréfálva kérdezte:
– Hát nem haragszik már Rondácska a Rózájára? Bizony az volt
minden, amit a törvényszék előtt mondtam. Debizatyauristen.
Tudom, hogy nem hiszed, pedig ugy van.
– Jó – ismételte Ronda.
És minthogy szükségét érezte annak, hogy a nőhöz az
események tisztázásával és összefogásával közeledjék, igy szólt:
– Nagyon is tudom, – igen ám, ugy bizony! – hogy az
ugynevezett erkölcs legtöbb esetben szerves összeköttetésben áll a
butasággal. Ebben legfölebb csak az kételkedik, aki nem élvezett
klasszikus neveltetést. Az erkölcs mindenesetre csak annak előnyös,
aki, nem lévén benne részes, általa könnyen uralomra juthat azok
fölött, akik nem tudnak a hálójából kievickélni. Ki lehet jelenteni és
be lehet bizonyitani, hogy az ugynevezett erkölcsöt a szolgalelkektől
szigoruan meg kell követelni. Ez a követelmény eddig – jól
jegyezzük meg! – nekem sohase engedte megismerni, hogy van
más élet is, más erkölcsi törvény is, amely a közönséges
nyárspolgár életétől és erkölcsétől alaposan különbözik.
A nő erőlködve és csodálkozva hallgatott.
– Ojják. Esz már aztán teszi.
– Én, – folytatta Ronda – ami a személyemet illeti, a nyárspolgár-
erkölcsöt követtem; nem mintha sokra becsültem volna, vagy hozzá
lettem volna láncolva, hanem – nemde ugyebár – mert semmi okom
se volt, hogy elszakadjak tőle.
Önmagát kellett tüzelni a beszédre, hebegve, heves
szeméremérzettel pironkodva és ájuldozva tárta ki merész
életfelfogását.
A nő bámulta a beszédét és hizelgett neki, hogy Ronda előtte
produkálta magát.
Ronda még hozzátette:
– Meg kell állapitanom és ezennel le kell szögeznem, hogy tőled
sohase követeltem meg egy az enyémhez hasonló erkölcsöt…
Erre a nő a meglepetéstől és az örömtől elfintoritotta az arcát és
megcsókolta Rondát. Alig engedte el a száját, a tanárja megint
magyarázott:
– Ennek dacára azonban…
– Mit mondasz? Minek dacára, Rondácskám?
– Ennek dacára ebben a konkrét esetben azonban az irántad
érzett szerelmem szinte lehetetlenné tette számomra oly dolgok
elviselését, amelyek az erkölcstanom alapétetele szerint nem hibák
és nem bünök, sőt azt is be kell vallanom, hogy néminemü fájdalmat
is éreztem miattuk.
Róza körülbelül eltalálta, miről van szó és hizelegve odatartotta a
fejét.
– Mert oly értékes nőnek tartalak, akit nem kaphat meg csak ugy
akárkiféle.
A nő komoly lett és elmélázott.
Ronda pedig határozott.
– Jó.
Egyszerre azonban kifakadt, valami szörnyü emlék ostroma alatt:
– Csak egy valaki van, akinek sohase tudnék megbocsátani,
akitől – igen ám, ugy bizony – tartózkodnod kell, akit sohase szabad
viszontlátnod. Ez a valaki: Lohmann.
A nő ránézett, látta, hogy szinte elalél, a homloka verejtékezik és
nem értette meg őt, mert sohase látta azt a gyötrő képet, amely
Rondát egyszer marcangolta: hogy öleli át Lohmann Rózát.
– Igen – mondta Róza. – Rá mindig haragudtál. Répává akartad
apritani. Ne félj, Rondácskám, meg is teszed majd. Nekem az ilyen
buta fickó ugyan csak nem imponál. Csak elhinnéd. De nem hiszed
el. Sirni, sirni szeretnék.
És igazán sirni szeretett volna: mert semmiképp se hitték el, hogy
közönyös Lohmann iránt; és mert a szive leghátsó pitvarában mégis
élt valami, ami Lohmannra vonatkozott s ami a szavahihetőségét
elrabolta; és mert Ronda, az öreg, buta gyerek oly gyakran és oly
ügyetlenül bolygatta ezt a dolgot; és mert zaklatott életére még
mindig nem szállott le a béke, amire teste-lelke egyformán sóvárgott.
De minthogy Ronda nem tudta volna, miért sir és minthogy nem
akarta végképp összekuszálni a helyzet szálait, elfojtotta a könnyeit.
Egyébként szép napok következtek rájuk. Mindenhová együtt
mentek és Róza kelengyéjét és lakásberendezését egészitették ki.
Hamburgi toalettben csaknem naponta ott ült Róza a városi
szinházban, Ronda pedig az oldala mellett alattomos kárörömmel
fogadta az irigyen megbotránkozó és rosszindulatuan vágyakozó
tekinteteket, amelyek feléjük irányultak. Később a nyári szinházat is
megnyitották és ők ketten letelepedhettek a kertbe a jómódu és
tisztes társaságbeli emberek közé és lazacot ehettek és örülhettek
mások boszuságán.
Frölich kisasszony többé nem félt, hogy intrikálnak ellene. Tul volt
a veszélyen. Ronda az ő kedvéért még az állásából is elcsapatta
magát.
Eleinte kissé kényelmetlenül érezte magát Rózácska. Hogy kerül
ő ekkora tisztességhez, hogy valaki az ő kedvéért ennyi terhet vesz
a nyakába. Később csak a vállát vonogatta:
– Hja, ilyenek a férfiak.
Lassacskán rájött, hogy Ronda helyesen cselekedett és hogy ő,
Róza, még ennél sokkal többet is megérdemel. Ronda akkora
csökönyösséggel hajtogatta előtte női érdemeit és az elérhetetlen
magaslatot, ahol ő áll és ahonnan még pillantására sem érdemes az
emberiség, hogy végül is kezdte komolyan venni saját magát. Idáig
még senki se vette őt ilyen komolyan és ezért ő se önmagát. Hálát
érzett aziránt, aki erre megtanitotta. Róza érezte, hogy fáradságába
kerül majd megbecsülni azt az embert, aki ily nagyra tartja. Még
többet tett: erőlködött, hogy szeresse is.
Nyomban kijelentette neki, hogy latinul szeretne tanulni. Ronda
örömmel látott hozzá. A nő hagyta, hadd beszéljen, rosszul felelt
neki, vagy nem is hallotta a kérdést és folyton ránézett, mig a
belsejében más dolgokkal bibelődött. A harmadik latin órán Róza ezt
kérdezte:
– Mondd, Rondácskám, mi nehezebb, a latin, vagy a görög?
– Természetes, hogy a görög – szólt Ronda.
A nő pedig határozott:
– Akkor görögöt akarok tanulni.
Ronda örült és azt kérdezte:
– Miért?
– Csak, Rondácskám.
Róza megcsókolta Rondát és ez a csók ugy hatott, mint a
gyöngédség parodiája. Pedig igaz érzésből fakadt. Ronda
felébresztette a leány becsvágyát; és most az, hogy Ronda iránt
érzett becsülését kimutassa, a latin helyett a nehezebb görögöt
választotta. Ez a kivánság egyuttal szerelmi vallomás is volt,
előlegezett vallomása egy alkalmazkodni kivánó érzésnek.
Bizony nem volt oly könnyü Rondácskát szeretni. Még a görög se
ment nehezebben. Mintha alaposan meg akarná főzni s végleg
megkaparintani magának, minduntalan körülsimogatta Ronda merev
pofacsontjait, kattogó állkapcsát, szögletes szemgödreit, melyek
mélyéből mérges és gyülölködő szemei villogtak, amelyek
Rózácskára pislogtak gyermekes alázattal. Róza megsajnálta ezért
és gyöngéden bánt vele. Ronda gesztusai és szavai, a gesztusainak
szánalmas kómikuma, a szavainak pepecselő szellemessége:
mindez meghatotta a nőt. Nagyrabecsülését sem tagadta meg tőle.
De többre – hiába erőlködött – nem volt képes.
Róza, hogy kárpótlást adjon az érzése kudarcáért, néhányszor
összeszedte minden sütnivalóját a görög órán. Ronda arcára vörös
foltok gyultak és gyönyörtől repesve vetette magát az igekötőkre.
Mikor Homerost felütötte és Róza először nyögte ki belőle a men…
de nün-t, mikor ezek az imádott hangok először pottyantak ki Frölich
kisasszony cifra arcából, bemázolt ajkai közül: Ronda szive majd
szétrepedt a boldog izgatottságtól. Félre kellett tennie a könyvet és
összeszednie magát. Még alig birt lélekzeni, megfogta az asztal
fölött Róza kisasszony kicsiny, puha és állandóan kissé zsirpárnás
kezét és azt mondta, hogy egyáltalában nem szándékozik még
hátralévő életét – csupán egyetlen órára is – tőle különválva tölteni.
El akarta venni feleségül.
Rózácska először sirásra pityeritette a száját. Azután
elérzékenyülve mosolygott, a képét Ronda vállához támasztotta és
ringatódzni kezdett fölötte. A ringatódzásból rángatózás lett; Rózából
kitört az örömujjongás, fogta Rondát, felráncigálta a székről és
körülkeringte vele a szobát.
– Ujjé, hát Rondáné nagyságos asszony lesz belőlem! Halálra
röhögöm magam! Rondáné nagyságos asszony, – ohó, Gondáné,
kérem alázattal.
És máris játszotta az előkelő dámát, amint elhelyezkedik a
székén. Egy percig értelmesen beszélt: nem megy többé vissza az
uj lakásába; ugyis már majdnem mindent elkótyavetyéltek belőle.
Ronda lakásába költözik és azt ujonnan berendezi! Azután ujra
kipukkant belőle a nagy öröm. Végül lehiggadt, elmélázott és csak
ezt mondta még:
– Hogy mi nem érheti az embert!
Ronda kérdésére, hogy örül-e és hogy minél előbb nyélbe kell
ütni a házasságot, Rózácska csak szórakozottan mosolygott.
A következő napokon sem látszott kapiskálni a dolgot. Néha
szinte mintha gondok bántották volna, de ezt tagadta. Gyakran
elment hazulról és ideges lett, ha Ronda vele akart tartani. Ez
meghökkentette Rondát és valami kinos sejtelem fakadt fel benne.
Egyszer rajtakapta Rózát, amint egy alacsony vendéglő ajtajából
kilépett. Miután egy darabig hallgatagon mentek egymás mellett,
Róza titokzatosan mondta:
– A dolgok nem olyan egyszerüek, mint gondoljuk.
Ez a kijelentés egészen nyugtalanná tette Rondát, de Róza nem
adott bővebb magyarázatot.
Egyszer aztán végre, jóval később, mikor Ronda magányosan és
busan baktatott délben az elhagyott Siebenberg-utcán, egy kis
fehérruhás gyerek tipegett hozzá és együgyü hangon gügyögte:
– Gyere haza, papa!
Ronda megállott és csodálkozva nézte a gyermek parányi,
fehérkeztyüs kezét, melyet feléje nyujtott.
– Gyere haza, papa! – ismételte a csöppség.
– Mit beszélsz? – kérdezte Ronda. – Hát hol lakol?
– Ott és hátrafelé mutatott.
Ronda arrafelé nézett és ekkor a legközelebbi sarkon
megpillantotta Frölich Róza szinmüvésznő hizelgően féloldalra
hajtott fejecskéjét és kezének mentegetődző és könyörgő
mozdulatát, amint – félszegen – a csipőjétől kissé előrenyult.
Ronda tanácstalanul hápogott. Egyszerre mindent megértett; és
egész egyszerüen megfogta a még mindig felé tartott, kis
fehérkeztyüs kacsót.
XII.
A familia elment nyaralni a közeleső fürdőhelyre. A kurhotelben

vettek lakást és sátrat béreltek a strandon. Frölich Róza
szinmüvésznő őnagysága fehér cipőben feszitett és fehér delén
ruhájához fehér tollboát viselt. Crep-delisse kalapjának libegő fehér
fátyla és mellette tipegő fehér gyermeke, kecsessé és könnyüvé
tették. Rondára is fehér strandöltöny került. Ha a messzire nyuló
fövény padlósétányán korzóztak, valamennyi sátorból látcsövekkel
kukucskáltak utánuk és hogy, hogy nem, minden idegen megtudta
Róza őnagysága élettörténetét.
Ha Róza gyermeke a nedves homokból pogácsákat gyurt,
ugyancsak kellett vigyáznia, hogy ki ne potyogjon egy a markából,
mert ilyenkor mindig ott termett valamilyen elegáns ur, felkapta a
homokpogácsát és vitte – nem a gyermeknek, hanem Frölich Róza
szinmüvésznő őnagyságának. Utána pedig meghajtotta magát
Ronda előtt és bemutatkozott. Ilyenformán a familia hamarosan két
hamburgi kereskedő, egy fiatal braziliai ur és egy szász gyáros
társaságágában fogyasztotta kávéját a parti sátorban.
A szedett-vedett társaság többször kirándult vitorlás csónakon,
melyeknél mindenki rosszul lett, Ronda és Róza kivételével. Ők
ketten suttyomban nevettek a többieken. A gyermek naponta
kilószámra kapta a cukros mandulát s kapott kis hajót, ásót és
uszóbabákat is. Kutyabajuk volt. Szamaragoltak, Ronda lába
kibicsaklott a kengyelből és a szamár sörényébe kapaszkodva
ügetett ott el a térzene előtt, épp amikor javában folyt a
hangverseny. Róza őnagysága sivákolt, a gyerek ujjongott és az
asztaloknál savanyu megjegyzéseket mondtak az emberek.
Mikor egy berlini bankár magyar táncosnőjével is közibük került,
akkor aztán teljes volt az egész »Ronda banda«. A table d’hôte-ot
végigzajongták, a karmestert folyton zaklatták, hogy játssza Róza
őnagysága kedvenc darabjait, melyek pályájára emlékeztették,
tüzijátékokat rendeztek a maguk szakállára, mindent felforgattak és
igy sokan mulattak, sokan pedig megbotránkoztak rajtuk.
Ronda azok számára, akik a felesége kedvéért a közelében
éltek, rejtély volt. Evés közben elárulta gyöngéit, egy kiránduláson
összeesett, angol ruháit ugy viselte, mint az álruhát s mikor
szemügyre vették, ugy tetszett, hogy nem is komoly akadály, ha arról
van szó, még moccani se mer s mindössze csak szánalmas és
nevetséges. A természet kisemmizett mostohagyermekének
tekintették szegényt. De az udvarló, aki már vigan flörtölt a
feleségével, hirtelen – egész váratlanul – egy száraz és gunyos
Árgus-tekintetet érzett magán, amit rendesen hátulról lövelt feléje a
férj. Ha a karkötőt nézegette, amit a feleségének ajándékoztak, az
az érzése támadt az embernek, hogy felszarvazták az öreget. És
még ha egyet-mást el is ért az udvarló, – késői parti séták, egyedül
az asszonnyal, mig a férj másokkal itta a bowlét – Ronda jóéjszakát
mondó gunyos kézszoritása szinte sértette őt és határozott kételyt
ébresztett benne aziránt, vajjon eléri-e valaha is a célját?
És tényleg sohasem érte el. Mert Ronda sokkal inkább értett
hozzá, miként kell valakit Frölich Róza előtt nevetségessé tenni és
lepocskondiázni. Mikor magára maradt Rózával, kicsufolta a két
hamburgi angolos beszédmodorát, vállát vonogatta a braziliai fölött,
aki lapos kavicsok helyett ezüst pénzdarabokat hajigált a sima
vizfelületre és leutánozta a lipcsei feudális ur kéz- és fejmozdulatait,
cigarettagyujtás, vagy dugóhuzás közben. Frölich Róza őnagysága
persze nevetett. Kuncogott, anélkül, hogy Ronda megvetésének
okáról és helyességéről meggyőződött volna. Nem is indokolta meg
mással a megvetését, csak azzal, hogy a görögök nem igy tettek. De
Róza mindenkinek hálás volt, aki nevetésre kapatta. És jótékonyan
hatott rá Ronda makacs, megtámadhatatlanul méltóságos
meggyőződése, hogy kettejükön kivül az egész világon senki se
számit. Róza az erős zsarnok jármában maga is önérzetes és rátarti
lett. A braziliainak, aki egy magányos szirt mellett letérdepelt előtte a
fövénybe, a kezeit tördelte, közvetlenül ezt mondta, mintha
egyszerre kinyilt volna a szeme:
– Menjen, maga majom.
Pedig hizelgett neki, hogy ez a fiatalember, aki egy városbéli
családnál szállt meg, minden ismerősét faképnél hagyta, hogy vele
csibészkedjék s vele együtt verje el a pénzét. De majom volt, Ronda
annak tartotta.
Ronda sohase firtatta, hol maradt el a felesége. Nem
nyugtalankodott, hogyha nagyon kicsipte magát, hogyha csipkés és
könnyü nyári ruhái nagyon is bizgatták a gavallérokat. Sőt, mig az
urak künn várakoztak rá, Ronda segitett a feleségének csinositani
magát és kendőzte, mint azelőtt az öltözőben. Mérges mosollyal
jegyezte meg:
– Már türelmetlenkednek. Zongorázni kellene nekik, hogy el ne
unják magukat.
Vagy:
– Ha most igy félig kifestetten és váratlanul kidugnád a fejed az
ajtón, megint azt kiabálnák, mint akkor: hohohoho!
A tengeri fürdőről való elutazásuk egy eléggé kinos incidenssel
kapcsolatban történt. A pályaudvaron megjelent az egész »Ronda
banda«, a braziliai éppen négyszemközt beszélgetett Rózával, mikor
lihegve odasántitott egy öreg ur, Vermöhlen, a tőzsér, a fiatalember
rokona és a Róza kezében levő ékszerestokot el akarta tőle ragadni.
Róza csak az imént kapta ajándékul a fiatal braziliaitól,
ünnepélyes formaságok közepette. Ronda odasietett és megvédte a
felesége igazát. Amig a fiatalember pironkodva egész rokonságát
megtagadta, az öreg Vermöhlen felfortyanva, heves izgalomban
szemére lobbantotta a házaspárnak, hogy társaságukban
unokaöccse már régóta a módján felül költekezik. Ezt a násfát már
nem veheti meg; a gyönge tantija, sajnos, pénzt adott rá; de ez
Vermöhlen pénze és ezért az ajándék az övé.
Ronda vele szemben rendreutasitó nyugalommal konstatálta,
hogy Vermöhlen ur pénze és Vermöhlen asszony pénze csakugyan
egy és ugyanaz; hogy a Vermöhlen-család legszemélyesebb
ügyeivel egyáltalán nem hajlandó foglalkozni; és különben is
harmadszor csöngettek. És szürke ujjai görcsösen a tokba
csimpaszkodtak, a feleségét pedig a kocsiba tuszkolta. Mindenki a
kalapját lengette, Vermöhlent kivéve, aki a botjával fenyegette
Rondát.
Róza először sajnálatát fejezte ki, hogy ilyen kinos helyzetbe
került és félt a folytatásától. Ronda azonban felvilágositotta, hogy a
félelme alaptalan. Hozzátette, hogy Vermöhlen tőzsérnek vannak
fiai, akiket tanitott és sohase »csiphetett meg«. Vermöhlenék több
városi familiával rokonságban vannak.
Róza megnyugodott. Mutogatta a kis brilliántokat a lányának,
vele együtt nevetett és igy fogadkozott:
– Ezek a fityegők, meg ezek a butonyok mind a tiéid lesznek,
Mimi, ez a te hozományod.
Ronda ujjongott, hogy a Vermöhlenéket »megcsipte«. El-
elgondolkozott azon, hogy itt több diákot és több családot szégyen
ért s a szégyen nem abból keletkezett, hogy bezárták őket a
»dutyiba«, vagy hogy az intézetből eltávolitották. A szégyent – igen
ám, ugy bizony – és a romlást tehát más uton is elő lehet idézni,
mint a kicsapással. Uj, eddig nem ismert utakon…
A városban, a villájukban a szokott élet járta. Emberekkel nem
igen érintkeztek. Estig, mikor is szinházba és vendéglőbe mentek,
Róza pongyolában heverészett a különböző butorokon. Ronda azt
inditványozta, hogy görögül tanitja és ezzel szórakoztatja. A nő
fanyalogva utasitotta vissza. Egy este valami vigjátékban felismerte
régi ismerősét, egy szinésznőt, aki egy szakácsnő szerepében lépett
fel.
– Nini, ez a Pielmann Hedvig. Hogy hogy kapott szerződést, azt
igazán nem tudom megérteni.
Erre egy csomó dolgot mesélt el a volt társáról és végül ezt
mondta:
– Te, ezt meghivjuk.
Pielmann kisasszony eljött és Róza finom reggelit és vacsorát
adott eléje, hogy elkápráztassa. Most a kereveteken két nő
heverészett, nem egy, cigarettáztak és régi, agyontárgyalt
élményekre emlékeztek. Ronda rossz lelkiismerettel nézte, hogy
unatkoztak. Kötelességének érezte, hogy segitsen rajtuk, de mégis
tanácstalan maradt és szorongott, mintha titkos gondok nyomták
volna. Ha csöngettek, felpattant a székéről és rohanvást szaladt ajtót
nyitni. A nőknek feltünt, hogy ezt sohase bizta a szobalányra.
– Vagy rajtam akar ütni, – mondta Róza – vagy pedig megcsal.
Bizony-bizony már kormos a füle az én Rondácskámnak.
Egy napon levél jött Hamburgból, két jóbarátjától. Ősszel
nagyobb utat akartak tenni, hajón a spanyol partok mentén, Tuniszig.
Azt inditványozták, tartsanak velük Rondáék is.
– Nagyszerü! – szólt Róza. – Ez aztán teszi. A vademberek közé
utazunk. Gyere te is velünk, Hedvig, kérj urlaubot. Mind a ketten
feketére festjük magunkat, lepedőbe burkolózunk, én majd felteszem
a diadémomat, ami még a szinpadról maradt.
Hedviget megnyerte az eszmének. Rondát nem is kérdezték
meg. Csak azon csodálkoztak, hogy nem igen lelkesült érte.
Csöndesen elkukoricázott addig, mig Hedvig el nem ment; akkor
aztán kitálalt. Nincs pénz.
– Ezt nem értem! Hogy lehet, hogy egy tanárnak nincs pénze! –
kiáltott a nő.
Ronda zavartan mosolygott. Harmincezer márkát tett félre. Ez
már eluszott; a berendezésre, a ruhákra, a mulatságokra. A folyó
kiadások nem voltak arányosak Ronda nyugdijacskájával; messzire
tulhaladták. Ronda számlákat és intőcédulákat kotort elő, amelyeket
az ajtóban röptében fogott el, a szállitóktól, a vendéglősöktől, a
szabónőktől. Szégyenkezve és gyülölködve beszélt, micsoda
fogásokat és trükköket kellett kiókumlálnia, hogy a végrehajtót
türelemre birja; de ezt se birja már sokáig.
Róza játszotta az ijedtet és a bánatost. Természetesen belül
semmit se érzett. Most vége a dinom-dánomnak és csak menjen a
két alak maga a vademberekhez. Ma délre csak marhahust esznek,
bár a liba pirul a tüzön; vacsorára pedig hurka lesz és megint elkezd
görögül tanulni, mert ez a legolcsóbb. Ronda meghatódott és azt
mondta, tudja – igen ám, ugy bizony – a kötelességét s mindent
megszerez, amit a felesége szeme-szája megkiván.
– Édes, – szólt Róza – vedd meg azt az arany-bronz cipőt hatvan
márkáért.
Róza rögtön irt Hedvignek: »Nincs dohány«.
Ez az eset mindenesetre felizgatta kissé.
Hedvig azt tanácsolta, hogy Ronda adjon órákat.
– Csak ne lenne az uram olyan szörnyen mogorva – vélte Róza.
Hedvig pedig dagadt a büszkeségtől, hogy szolgálatot tehet:
– Majd küldök én neki pasast, az én palimat. Tőlem
kivurcnizhatja, ahogy akarja.
– Lorenzent, a borkereskedőt? Ugyan, hisz ez már diákja volt
Rondának, annyit dumált róla, hogy na. Téged még csak szivel, de a
barátod ne kerüljön a szeme elé… És ha meg is puhitom Rondát, a
barátodnak lesz annyi esze, hogy nem jön ide a csapdába.
– Rosszul ismersz, drágám – szólt Hedvig. – Kabinetkérdést
csinálok a dologból: vagy – vagy!
Rondával közölték, hogy Lorenzen, a borkereskedő görögül akar
tanulni, mert görög borokkal kereskedik és órákat vesz. Ronda
ökröndözött a dühtől, de nem tiltakozott ellene. Felindultan és ravasz
mosollyal beszélt Lorenzen diákja büneiről, engedetlenségéről, arról,
hogy sokszor csufolta, de egyetlen egyszer sem sikerült
»megcsipnie«.
– De – jegyezte meg közben – még megcsiphetem.
Aztán:
– Emlékszel, szerelmem, micsoda patália volt az esküvőnkön,
micsoda csődület loholt a kocsink után…
– Hagyd, lelkem – szólt Róza; mert ezeknek a kinos dolgoknak
az emlitését is szégyelte Hedvig előtt.
Ronda azonban zavartalanul folytatta:
– Micsoda csorda bőgött az anyakönyvi hivatal előtt, – nemde,
ugy-e bár – és mikor a kocsiba szálltál, Kieselsack sárral
fröccsentette be a fehér atlaszruhádat is. De kétségtelenül bizonyos,
hogy a fiatal garaboncások közt ott volt Lorenzen diákom is, aki a
csufnevemet orditotta és olyan gyalázatosan viselkedett, mint senki.
– No, majd megmosom a fejét! – szólt Hedvig.
– Sajnos, nem csiphettem meg – folytatta Ronda. – Nem
tanithattam meg a regulára. De csak tanuljon görögül. Sok diákomat
nem csiphettem meg. Bárcsak mind tanulna görögül!
Később eljött Lorenzen, de szivesen bántak vele. Ronda behivta
Rózát, amaz ürügy alatt, hogy nem találja a füzetét, vagy a ceruzáját
és beszélgetni kezdett vele. Először produkálni kellett magát a diák
előtt, hogy mennyit tud görögül, aztán modern dolgokra terelődött a
társalgás. A diák fölényesen, a nyugodt irónia képzelt jogával lépett
be. De nyomban visszahőkölt, mihelyst látta, hogy minő szabad és
mértékletes bájjal mozog Róza polgári stilü butorai között; hogy
jobban öltözik, mint a saját felesége, aki a szinházban mindig
felháborodott Rózán; s megértette, hogy a kevés pirositó, a félvilági
nők halványan sejtetett dialektusa és pár késhegyni
szinésznőszerüség sajátosan füszerezik a családiasságot. Ördöge
van ennek a Rondának! Igy aztán nem kell járnia se a klubba, se
máshová. Lorenzen a kezdő fenhéjázó modorát letette s a Ronda-
házaspár előtt édeskésen szolgálatkész lett, megjuhászodott.
Megengedték neki, hogy legközelebb hozzon egy kis borocskát
is. Pástétomot is hozott és egy kis reggeli helyettesitette a görög
órát. Ha valamire szükség volt kivülről, mindig Ronda ment ki.
Először a dugóhuzóért s mikor már ittak és Lorenzen pityókás lett,
még gyakrabban szaladt ki Ronda.
Mikor ezek a kis murik ismétlődtek, Róza annak adott kifejezést,
hogy jó lenne másokat is meghivni. Lorenzen az intimitás mellett
foglalt állást; de Ronda igazat adott a feleségének. Lorenzennek el
kellett hozni a barátait. Hedvig egy másik szinésznővel jött. Maguk a
vendégek hoztak kalácsot, felvágottat, gyümölcsöket. Ennek
ellenében a háziasszony a teát szolgáltatta. Pezsgőt ittak, erre
megjött az étvágyuk és erre Ronda a szokott hamiskás mosolyával
beszélni kezdett:
– Azt hiszem, tudni méltóztatnak, hölgyeim és uraim, hogy az
itteni gimnáziumban viselt állásomat – azt, hogy jogosan-e, vagy
sem, ezuttal talán ne feszegessük – elvesztettem.
Mindig hagyták, hadd beszélje ki magát a kedvére és ennek örült.
Erre összeadtak az urak és pezsgőért küldtek. Sokszor maga Ronda
ment el és maga rendelte meg. Látni lehetett, amint visszabotorkált
az utcán, előtte ment az inas a kosárral és ő vigyázott az italra, a
háta mögött, mint egykor a Kék Angyalban.
Mikor jókedvük szottyant, kérték Rózát, hogy énekeljen és Róza
elénekelte kedvenc dalait; egyszer, mikor felöntött a garatra,
énekelni kezdte Lohmann dalát is. Ronda nyomban félbeszakitotta
és mindenkit hazaküldött. A vendégek csodálkoztak, vakmerően
tiltakozni próbáltak. Mikor azonban Ronda fujni kezdett és kijött a
sodrából, mind beadták a derekukat. Róza halkan bocsánattal
csititgatta a férjét. Fogalma sincs, miért haragszik.
Mind fiatalemberek voltak és a legtöbbje állandóan eljárt a Kék
Angyalba. Mig csak nehányan voltak együtt, hamis feszt éreztek,
gyáván és szemtelenül magukat csalták, mert nem voltak képesek
Rondával mint magánemberrel érintkezni; a háta mögött settengtek
és diákos alázattal torpantak vissza, mikor állniok kellett a viccüket.
Aztán megsokasodtak és az egyén felelőtlen nézővé lett. Már semmi
talmi meghittség se hamisitotta a hangulatot. Ugy látszott, hogy
Ronda egyszerüen kisebb helyiségbe költözött a truppjával, ahol a
nőkkel kényelmesebben lehet évődni. És itt későbben is volt a
záróra, akkor, mikor kiki a maga jószántából hazamegy. Egy
alkalommal, mikor már csak kevesen voltak itt, Lorenzen bakkarázni
hivta. Rondát izgatta a dolog, megmagyaráztatta magának a játékot
és mikor tisztában volt vele, bankot adott. Nyert. Mikor veszteni
kezdett, visszavonult. Lorenzen, mint az inditványozó,
kötelességének tartotta, hogy teljes lélekkel menjen bele. Tárcájából
egymásután szedegette ki a százmárkásokat. Többen kivörösödtek
és egymásután sajnálkoztak, hogy nem vettek több pénzt
magukhoz. A bankárnak megint szerencséje volt.
Róza a férje fölé hajolt és ezt sugta:
– Látod? Mért mentél el, te kis buti!
Ronda riposztozott:
– Nem bánom, megveheted, szerelmem, azt a nyolcvanmárkás
kalapot. Aztán Zebbelinnek, a vendéglősnek is betömhetem még a
száját. Ne félts engem!
Nyugodtan nézte, hogy teszi el egy vendége Lorenzen
bankjegyeit és nem bánta, hogy nem ő nyerte meg. Lorenzen
elvesztette; és Ronda kihagyó lélekzettel érezte, a boszunak
diadalutján jár, amelyet földalatti reszketések ráznak. Mikor végül
Lorenzen kijózanultan és bamba arccal üres pénztárcájába bámult,
odalépett hozzá és igy szólt:
– Mára elég, Lorenzen, a görög órának vége.
Nemsokára hire futott a városban, hogy Rondánál orgiákat
csapnak. Az urak a tőzsdén és a klubban, a törzsasztaloknál, az
irodákban hallották, amint néhány fiatalember sebbel-lobbal
elmondotta. Otthon a családjukban el-elejtettek róla pár szót és a
nők sugdostak és többet akartak tudni. Ugyan mi fán terem az a
hastánc, amit Rondáné táncolt. A férj nem tudja eléggé
megmagyarázni és igy azt képzelték, hogy a hastánc minden
képzelmet felülmuló paráznaság. És izgatta őket az a társasjáték is,
amelyet Rondáéknál szoktak játszani: a zálogosdi. Több pár a
padlóra feküdt, egy nagy takaró alá, mindegyik egy sorban, egy férfi
egy nő mellé. Nyakukig betakaróztak és mig a takaró nem mozgott,
senkinek se jutott eszébe, hogy mi történik alatta. Mikor azonban
megmozdult, annak, aki ludas volt benne, zálogot kellett adnia. Ez a
játék városszerte legendás hirben állott. Sötét hiradások regéltek
róla a fiatal leányoknak; a leányok órák hosszant kotoltak a titkon, a
szemükben rémült kiváncsisággal. Aztán azt is szerették volna tudni,
igaz-e, hogy Rondáéknál néha egészen meztelen felsőtesttel
jelentek meg a hölgyek?
– Juj, de nagy disznóság!
– De furcsa lehetett.
Lorenzen néhány tisztet hozott magával, akik a murijukra nála
vásároltak bort; többek közt magával hozta Gierschke hadnagyot is.
A finom polgári társaságból elsőnek Kunst, az ügyész állitott be. Ő is
Frölich Róza kegyéért versengett és erős vetélytársa lett Richternek,
a fiatal tanárnak. Richternek végre-valahára sikerült eljegyeznie
magát egy gazdag leánnyal, akit a tanár-fajta ember nem igen kap
meg; de a vőlegénység nem jól állott neki. Ingerlékeny lett és
élvvágyó, higgadt beamter-feje egyszerre megkótyagosodott.
Lorenzen példájától elragadtatva, veszettül játszott. Ronda házában
egy estén több hónapi fizetését elvesztette, ostoba fogadásokba
ment bele s annyira versengett a háziasszonyért, hogy minden
tartózkodásról megfeledkezett. A tanári szobában ugyancsak
szapulták, hogy érintkezik a tanárság szégyenével, Rondával.
Ronda, aszerint, hogy szerencséje volt, vagy nem, nyert, vagy
vesztett. Egy alkalommal Róza ezermárkás chinchilla-bundát kapott
s cifra feje csábitó kacérsággal bujt ki a szürke és puha szőrméből.
Máskor pedig Rondának a vendégek érkeztekor ágyba kellett bujnia
és betegséget mimelnie, mert egyetlen vendéglős sem akart már
hitelezni. Másnap aztán elment hozzájuk és megmagyarázta nekik,
hogy a halálából meg éppen nem fognak pénzelni. A vendéglősök
ezt belátták és abban bizakodva, hogy Ronda megint nyerni fog,
meghosszabbitották a hitelt.
Frölich szinmüvésznő csak ritkán játszott, de akkor aztán nem
hagyta abba, mig egy vörös garasa volt. Egy este azonban ugy
kedvezett neki a szerencse, hogy partnerének, Lorenzennek még az
ingét is elnyerte. Lorenzen nagyon sápadt volt és szitkozódva
távozott. Ugy ült ott Róza, mint egy gyerek, lázasan a boldogságtól,
ideges kezeiben bankjegyeket és aranyat szorongatva. Néhányan
hirtelenül és szokatlan udvariassággal ajánlkoztak, hogy a pénzét
megszámlálják. Több mint tizenkétezer márkát nyert. Róza azt
mondta, hogy aludni megy. És mikor egyedül maradt Rondával,
lázas szemmel, édes és lemondó hangocskáján mondta:
– Hát mégis lesz hozománya a Miminek. A fityegőkön és a
butonyokon már rég tul kellett adni. De most mégis csak itt a pénz.
Szegénykének legalább jobb sora lesz, mint nekem.
De már kora reggel jöttek a hitelezők, akik pénzt orrontottak; és
Róza a leánya hozományát hiába védte a testével, elvették tőle.
Aztán az a hir is elterjedt, hogy Lorenzen, a borkereskedő
fizetésképtelenné vált. Ronda fünél-fánál kérdezősködött és mikor
hazajött, sápadt volt, verejtékes és meg se tudott mukkani.
Végül csattogó állkapcsokkal hápogta:
– Csődbe jutott! Lorenzen csődbe jutott!
– Kinn vagyok a vizből – mondta Róza, aki a kerevetbe süppedve
ült és a kezeivel lomhán harangozott a térdei közt.
– Lorenzen csődbe jutott – ismételte Ronda. – Lorenzen a sárban
fekszik és nem kel fel többé soha. Pályafutását – igen ám, ugy
bizony – befejezte.
Halkan beszélt, mintha attól félt volna, hogy megpukkad
örömében.
– Mit örülsz neki. Mimi hozományának is vége.
– De most megcsiptem az ipszét. Ez alkalommal sikerült
megcsipnem őt és most kiszolgáltatom jól megérdemelt sorsának.
A nő nézte őt, amint ide-oda jár, mintegy tébolyodott. Kezei
reszkettek a tárgyakon, amelyeket öntudatlanul megérintett. Róza
egyet-mást még mondott, de Ronda mindenre csak ezt sziszegte
reszketve:
– Lorenzen, a diák, a sárban fekszik.
Ronda viselkedése nemsokára imponált a nőnek. Férje erősebb
indulatja végigsöpört az övén és kioltotta. Rózának már eszébe se
jutott a bánata, mereven az ura után nézett, meg se ijedve a
szenvedélyétől, mintha Ronda mélyében mindig ott kuksolna a
téboly; és mégis kényszeredetten nézett utána, édes borzongással
érezte, hogy az ő öreg Rondájával erősebben összeköti ez az
erőszakos és veszedelmes holmi, a szenvedély.

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BUSN 11 BRIEF CONTENTS

Personal Finance Appendix 328

Appendix 1: Labor Unions and Collective Bargaining

Brief Contents iii

3 The World Marketplace:

Business without Borders 38

THE BUSINESS 3-2 Key Reasons for International Trade

ENVIRONMENT 3-4 Seizing the Opportunity: Strategies for Reaching

4 Business Ethics and Social

Responsibility: Doing Well

1 Business Now: Change 4-3 Ethics: Multiple Touchpoints 61

7 Small Business and 9 Finance: Acquiring and Using

13 Distribution and Pricing: Right

Place, Right Price 236

16 Managing Information and

Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

14 Management, Motivation, 17 Operations Management:

15 Human Resource Personal Finance Appendix 328

Chuck ­ Williams at [email protected], and Marce Kelly

1-3 Discuss the role of nonprofit organizations in the economy

1-1 BUSINESS NOW: MOVING AT BREAKNECK SPEED

2 PART ONE: The Business Environment

CHAPTER 1: Business Now: Change Is the Only Constant 3

Joking aside, millennials now represent both

4 PART ONE: The Business Environment

CHAPTER 1: Business Now: Change Is the Only Constant 5

Hulton Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Henry Ford’s assembly line began operation

Another key element of the U.S. economic environ-

ment is legislation that supports enforceable contracts.

For instance, if you contract a baker to supply your health

granted, but in a number of developing countries—which

1-5b The Competitive Environment Mercedes-Benz Porsche 118%

1-5c The Workforce Advantage 1-5d The Technological Environment

Hawaii population, and Hispanics comprise about 47% of

14 PART ONE: The Business Environment

CHAPTER 1: Business Now: Change Is the Only Constant 15

THE BIG PICTURE

16 PART ONE: The Business Environment

CHAPTER 1: Business Now: Change Is the Only Constant 17

2-6 Discuss key terms and tools to evaluate economic performance

2-1 ECONOMICS: NAVIGATING A CRISIS

THE BUSINESS 3-2 Key Reasons for International Trade

ENVIRONMENT 3-4 Seizing the Opportunity: Strategies for Reaching

1 Business Now: Change 4-3 Ethics: Multiple Touchpoints 61

Chuck Williams at [email protected], and Marce Kelly